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
another place What if God will suffer with great patience the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction that is what if God will beare with some a great while and punish some presently What doth it advantage them have they cause to boast themselves or rather were it not farre better for them to bee cut off presently then to bee spared a while and then to have the judgement the greater therefore when God will make his power knowne to men hee will suffer them with great patience that hee may give the greater stroke it is true men cannot conceive how God can beare and be so patient towards wicked men but you must know that He is full of patience it is his nature he is patience it selfe though patience be a quality in us yet it is not so in God it is his essence The second reason is this hee beares long with wicked men for the propagation and increase of mankind for if hee should punish men as fast as they offend and deserve death how should the Church increase how should the Church stand this were to overthrow and weaken his owne power but God is wise and knowes better how to turne the evill intentions and deeds of men for the good of his Church as for example if a Captaine upon some generall fault committed by his souldiers if hee should execute all offenders this were the way to destroy his Army and so expose himselfe unto the hands of his enemies therefore he takes but a few here one and there one to make the rest to take heed they fall not againe thus doth God hee doth not inflict punishment that is present death upon all sinners but takes here and there one to make them palpable examples unto the rest as wee see daily how the Lord meets with the sins of men then when they least thinke of sinne or God The third reason why God doth patiently beare with offenders is this He doth it for the good of some that are yet to be called and therfore you know what the Lord said unto the husbandman in the Gospell when he would have pluckt up the tares let them alone saith hee untill the harvest yet howsoever this comparison doth not alwayes hold true for he did not forbeare the plucking of them up expecting any change but only least in plucking up them hee should hurt the good seed for tares will never be wheate so they that are reprobated will never convert yet it holds good in this hee lets tares grow that is he beares patiently with wicked men even with those that as yet seeme to be so because as yet they have not exprest the fruits of their conversion and therefore for this reason doth God forbeare long to punish the wicked lest hee should destroy the seed of the righteous The fourth Reason Why God suffereth long is this that he may try the heart how it will carry it selfe towards him not that hee knowes not the heart before but that the heart may now know that the Lord is patient when hee shall consider how patiently God hath dealt with him and how long he hath borne with him for this makes men more inexcusable before God and more ashamed of themselves when they shall call to minde what time what opportunitie what occasion they have had to good how they might have stored themselves with grace and made their peace with him and then how many sinnes they have committed time after time and then what checks of conscience after to reclaime them I say if men did but consider this they could not but say that God is patient The fift Reason is this although they be not afflicted as other men are yet it is not because they are therefore not afflicted at all for indeed they are afflicted with the greatest afflictions that can be other mens afflictions may seeme to bee greater but yet not so but are lesser whatsoever they may seeme to bee and that in these respects 1. Respect Because wicked men they loose the spirit God denies them grace and that is the greatest affliction that God can lay upon any sinner namely to deny grace this was the affliction that God laid upon Saul it had beene better for Saul that a thousand judgements had befalne him then to have lost the spirit the favour of God Now wicked men they loose the favour of God they loose the obtaining of saving grace therefore whatsoever they seeme to be yet the truth is they are more afflicted then other men 2. Respect The prosperitie of wicked men is a punishment for that which slayes men is a punishment but this the prosperity of wicked men doth fit them for destruction and therefore the Wise man saith Proverb 1. 32. that prosperitie and ease slaies the wicked that is the more they prosper and thrive and rejoyce in their lusts the greater stabb doth sinne give them at the heart and the more irrecoverably are they smitten therefore they have no cause to brag of their prosperitie 3. Respect Is this because they may wither and die in their sinnes and that is a great punishment for because they are not afflicted as other men are therefore it is that their superfluous branches of lust and covetousnesse and pride are not lopt off for afflictions lop these off which hinder the growth of saving grace as you know the superfluous branches of any tree hinder the growth of the other branches if they be not cut off they will make them to wither and die thus it is with wicked men because they are not afflicted they begin to wither and grow cold unto good The body doth not so much wither with age as the inward man doth by these lusts theybreed a consumption in the soule that will not be recovered 4. Respect Againe though we see them not afflicted yet they have many afflictions which wee know not even as the godly have many inward joyes and comforts in their hearts which wicked men never felt so wicked men have many strong feares in their hearts and many sudden flashes of the fire of hell in their soules much hollownesse in their hearts much sorrow mingled with their carnall joyes and often affrighted with the jawes of death and arrested with horrors of conscience though outwardly they seeme to the world to be the joyfullest and happiest men in the world yet the truth is they are the most miserable and sorrowfull men in the world for as the inward joy is farre greater then the outward joy so the inward sorrow is farre greater then the outward sorrow alone thus you see the point prooved The use of this should teach us not to delude our selves in the matter of afflictions in afflictions we are ready to conclude because our afflictions are greater then others that therefore we are greater sinners but here you see the contrary the greatest sinners are not alwayes outwardly the greatest afflicted for God
feare there is in them the root of comfort remaining There are many examples that may bee brought to prove the same but I know none like that of our Saviour Christ who although he was in such unspeakeable horror of conscience that it made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken mee yet this horror was mingled with faith comfort and the assurance of Gods favour So Gods Children may have such sorrow and be so drunken with wormewood that it may make them not to know what to doe yet in all this griefe the fire of Gods love is not quite extinguished but there are some sparkes thereof remaining under these ashes Here is a Caveat to be given of two things First Let those that are in this disposition of minde take heed of that that Satan in this condition may labour to bring us unto for then they are in a disease and those that are in a disease incline unto some thing Take heed then of polluting the Sabbath and other sinnes that hee may intice thee to for Sanus and AEger differ the one desires one thing the other another Secondly Something must bee done positively for the healing of our griefe when that we are in sorrow wee must pitch it upon the proper object to wit sinne and put away all worldly sorrow for that bringeth death but sorrow for sinne that bringeth life All these things thus being expounded the point is manifest That sinne and Gods wrath being charged on the conscience are exceeding terrible Indeed when the burthen lyes on the ground we feele it not but when it lyes on our shoulders So before this horror is charged on the conscience wee feele it not but then is it exceeding terrible It is with griefe as it is with joy There are three things in all joy 1. There is a good thing 2. There is the conjunction of that good thing to us 3. A reflect knowledge thereof So also in griefe there are threethings 1. There is a bad thing 2. The conjunction of that to us 3. The reflecting of the understanding whereby we know the hurt that comes to us thereby When a man feeles and sees and knowes his sinne then is it unsupportable and the reason thereof is because that then a mans spirit is wounded and cannot beare it selfe The Reasons of this point are these three First because that sinne and Gods wrath are in themselves the greatest evill as righteousnesse and Gods favour are the greatest good Men may thinke that punishment were the greatest evill but it is not for that is but the effect of sinne sinne is the cause thereof now we know that the cause is alwayes greater than the effect Now when God shall open our eyes to see this sinne and Gods wrath then it will be an insupportable burthen This is the reason that at the day of Judgement the wicked shall cry Hils and Mountaines fall upon us to hide us from the presence of the Judge because that then God shall open their eyes to see their sinnes which if hee should doe now while they are here on earth would make them cry out as much As it is with comfort so it is with griefe If we know not of it it affects us not As the Army that was about Gebezai it comforted not him because hee saw it not So for griefe although hell and damnation be about us yet if we see it not wee doe not regard it The second Reason is taken from Gods manner of working on the spirit of the creature hee then leaveth it now wee are to know That the greatest comfort the Creature hath is the fruition of Gods presence the greatest griefe is his absence if we want that wee are deprived of all comfort as if the Sunne be absent wee are deprived of all light If there were but a little comfort remaining that would serve to hold the head above the water but if all comfort bee gone it then presently sinketh The proper object of feare and griefe is the absence of good and prelence of evill and both them come by the privation of Gods presence The third Reason is taken from the nature of conscience it selfe when it is awakened because that then it is sensible of the least sinne for every faculty as it is larger so it is more capable of joy and griefe therefore men are said to be more capable of joy and griefe than the bruit beasts and in man the soule is more capable than the body and in the soule conscience of all other parts most capable and as the conscience is capable of the greatest griefe so also of the greatest comfort it is capable of the peace of God which passeth all understanding And surely this horror of conscience is nothing else but a sparke of hell fire which the Heathen had some inkling of when they sayd they were exagitated with the furies Seeing then that the wrath of God is thus insuppartable this should teach us in all things especially to labour to keepe a good conscience and to labour to be free from the guilt of sinne if the wrath of God be the greatest evill then should the whole streame of our endevours be to take heed thereof by labouring for to keepe a pure conscience Proportion your care herein to the good that will come thereby it will bring the unspeakeable comfort without this labour to keepe a good conscience thou wilt neuer have thy heart perfect therefore labour for it consider the good it bringeth Men busie their heads here to the utmost for other things as for Learning Credit Riches Honour and all because they thinke that they are worthy their labour Let us then but consider the fruit that this peace of conscience will bring let us but gather up our thoughts that are busied so much about other things and but consider this a little which if men would but doe they would spend more time about it then they d ee for now these things are done but by the bye and have not that tithe of the time spent about them that should be which we spend about other things But let such know that it is but a folly to goe about that worke with a finger which requires the strength of the whole body When this worke of the building of grace doth require the whole strength of a man and we put not our whole strength thereto it is no marvell if we doe not prosper therein Let us therefore seriously consider our wayes let us consider with what tentations the Devill daily assayeth us Consider that it were as good get ground of the raging Sea as of raging lusts Consider these things with thy selfe I am verily perswaded that the chiefest cause why there is so much deadnesse in those that belong unto Christ is because they consider not their wayes Take time therefore to consider thy wayes It is no wonder to see men complaining of their weaknesse when
continue argueth not strength in the inward man or to have the understanding strong and yet to have the will and affections weake to good is not to be strong in the inward man but they must be all strong as for example a man or a woman is not said to bee perfectly beautifull except they be beautifull in all parts for beauty is required in all parts so likewise a man is not throughly strong but imperfectly except hee bee strong in all parts strong in the understanding strong in the will strong in the affections c. Secondly I call it a temperature or right frame of the mind because it sets the soule in order that is it sets a new habite on the faculties and fixes the soule on fit objects for these habits the soule was before like a disordered clocke that went at randome every thing was out of its place but when the strength of the inward man comes into the soule it frames it anew and puts it into a right temper againe Thirdly I say whereby a man is able to please God in all things because it sets a good hew upon all our actions for as Varnish makes all Colours fresh so doth the Inward man it sets a deepe dye upon all our actions a glasse upon them and makes them beautifull nothing without it will hold tryall every thing that hath the tincture of the inward man upon it will hold good this sets the stampe of holinesse upon them and therefore they are acceptable to God Now that you may know the better what this strength is you must first labour to know what weakenesse is by weaknesse I doe not meane weaknesse before a man be converted for that cannot properly be called weaknesse but wickednesse and therefore know that this weaknesse which I speake of here which is proper unto Christians is of two sorts The first is weakenesse of grace as in the 1 Cor. 3. 1. I speake unto you as unto babes in Christ that is as to those that are weake in knowledge babes The second kind of weakenesse is this when one that hath been strong is new falne sicke and weake into a consumption of grace that hee cannot use grace and his strength so as formerly he could now they who are weake in the first sort of weakenesse grow strong but they who are weake in the second sort grow weaker and weaker therefore if there be any here that are such that hath once truely lov'd God and his Kingdome but now is falne unto the love of the world that once was lively and quicke to good but is now backward and cold my Counsell to them shall bee the same which Christ gives unto the Church of Ephesus Revelation 2. v. 5. to remember and repent and to doe their first workes lest their Candle-sticke be taken from them let them remember what they were in times past and what they are now and then let them humble themselves and turne againe into the right way and bee ashamed of themselves that they runne so farre away from Christ and that in time lest their Candlesticke be taken away from them lest these opportunites to good and the offer of grace be taken from them Againe as there are kinds of weakenesse so there are degrees of weakenesse As touching that kind of weakenesse that followes upon a relapse to speake of this first there are two degrees of this First sensible Secondly unsensible First I say sensible and that is when the understanding is good but the will and affections are desperately wicked the understanding I say is good in regard of the good it knowes whereby the weakenesse that is in our wils and affections becomes sensible unto us Secondly there is a weakenesse unsensible and that is such as cannot be felt and this is when men change their opinions of sinne when they have thought otherwise of it then now they doe as for example before they thought every sinne a great sinne but now little or none at all Now as touching that weakenesse which followes upon the new birth there are two degrees likewise of this the first is generall the second particular The first is a generall weaknesse and that is when the Iudgement will and affections are all weake When a man is weake in all the whole parts of the soule The second degree is a particular weaknesse and that is when a man is generally strong and yet weake in some parts as for example a ship may be strongly built or generally strong and yet having a leake in it cannot bee said to be strong in all parts because it hath that leake that is a weakenesse in one part of it so the soule may bee generally strong and yet weake in some particular therefore a man must take heed of all particular weaknesses Now by way of opposition unto these weakenesses you may conceive of inward strength But to come unto the reasons wherefore we should strengthen the Inward man and they are these The first reason wherefore you should be strong in the Inward man is this because it will fit you for many imployments it will make us goe through much worke with great ease to performe the weightiest duties of Religion in such manner as otherwise wee could never be able to doe and this should perswade men the rather because God rewards men according to their workes it is not riches beautie honour or dignitie that prevaile with God in his giving the reward but according to our workes so shall his reward be And this reason should make men to haste to get into Christ because the longer they are in Christ the stronger they are in the Inward man The second reason wherefore you should desire to be strong in the Inward man is this because it brings most comfort and cheerefulnesse into the soule 1 Because it makes us doe all that we doe with facilitie and easinesse so that that which we doe is easie unto us as for example a man that is weake in Iudgement and weake in understanding any high point of religion is wearinesse unto him because hee wants a capacitie to conceive now that which is not rightly conceived or understood wee have little or no comfort or delight in it but it is irkesomenesse and wearinesse unto our nature whereas the same things unto a man that is of a larger capacitie are easie unto him and hee delights in them 2. The more strength a man hath in the Inward man the more health he hath in his soule for as it is in the body the more naturall strength the more health so in the soule the more strength in the inward man the more healthfull in grace 3. It brings the more cheerefulnesse into the heart because it brings Christ and God thither who is the God of all comfort and consolation as the Apostle calles him there For that must needs be the best thing in the world to
be strong in the inward man and the joyfullest heart that hath his inhabiting with God and Christ. 4. Because it brings sufficiency and plentie of all good into the soule and we say that if a man hath a good outward estate he is like to hold out if a famine should come so it is with a Christian if he bee strong in the inward man though a famine should come hee is likely to hold out and keepe that which he hath but on the contrary when a man is poore in the inward man as it is with a body that is weake every thing that it hath is ready to be taken away But as a bowle that hath a byas the strength of the arme takes away the byas so strength in the Inward man takes away the byas of shame and reproach which otherwise would draw us to despaire and makes us to goe on stoutly and to beare afflictions strongly babes you know cannot beare that which a strong man can neither are they able to hold out in any thing as a strong man is able Therefore that you may hold out labour to be strong in the Inward man 5. because it strengthens a man against temptations and therefore the Apostle saith Bee stedfast and unmooveable for it makes us to stand fast in Christ so that nothing shall breake us off from Christ neither temptation nor affliction nor reproach Contrary what is the reason that temptations presse men so sore as they doe but because they are not carefull to grow more strong in the inward man This showes how they are to be blamed that seeke this strength least of all or not at all for let us looke upon men and we shall see how busie they are to get the riches and honour and pleasure of the body but few or none regarding this strength which is the riches and honour and pleasure of the soule for the health beauty and strength of the outward man all take great care spend much time about them much labour in them to adde any thing unto them but for the beautie of the Inward man they care not for that they respect not that All their care is for their backes and bellies still regarding the things that may raise their outward estate but never minding the strengthning of the inward man which will appeare more plainely by this Aske but such men why they doe not pray or heare or receive the Sacrament oftner then they doe to this you shall heare them answer that they cannot for businesses they have great employments in the world and they must not neglect them to doe such and such things as if the inward man were neither worth the getting or having And yet these men will be as good men as the best Againe see it in your selves This day is appointed for the strengthning of the inward man but how doe you neglect it how often were you in prayer and holy meditation before or how often since have you seriously considered on the things that you have heard or how have you cast aside your occasions of businesses in your callings or whether be they not now fresh in your memories nay doe not your hearts run after them even now when I am perswading you to the contrary If they be whatsoever you say of your selves you have not the care you ought to have to grow strong in the Inward man And yet that you may see that you have good reason to strengthen the inward man First you old men consider you and bethinke with your selves how soone your inward man may be throwne out of doores Therefore you have great cause to strengthen it and grow strong in it Secondly you young men as for you you have need to strengthen the inward man because as there is a time of springing and growing strong for you in the inward man so there is a time of not springing that is when you will have much to doe to keepe that which you have without increasing of it therefore whilest the time is take heed of neglecting the time It is no rule to be followed That God cals at all times for thou know'st not whether he will call thee and therfore do thou labor to grow strong in the inward man to perswade you the more consider these particulars 1. Cōsider the excellency of the inward man that it wil fit you for great imploymērs as for example it will make you to see God in his holinesse and to converse with God to have such a holy familiarity with Him as will joy the soule this will bring you so acquainted with God that you wil be esteemed of him as one of his familiars therefore this shold perswade you to strengthen the inward man Secondly consider that you are to be made like unto the Image of God if you will be saved but this cannot be except you strengthen the Inward man and therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1. As he that hath called you is holy so bee you holy in all manner of conversation that is seeing you are called unto such a high place as to be the sonnes of God by grace what a base thing is it for you to stoupe unto base things what a base thing were it that an Eagle should stoop at flies And although it is unseemely in that creature yet men doe the like and are not ashamed men will stoope to the world and will bee any mans vassall and bee any thing what any would have them to be if it may but inlarge their outward estate But beloved there is a great losse and basenesse in it for what is Gold or honour or pleasure to Christ grace and holinesse In every thing wherein there is losse it grieves and paines vs we grieve when we see Wheate given unto Hogs which would bee mans meate wee grieve when we set up a faire building on which we have bestowed much cost and labour and then to have Iim and Chim to dwell therein and not our selves And if we be subject to grieve for these things then how much more have we cause to grieve when we see men give themselves unto their lusts that is they give their soules to bee a harbor for their lusts which ought to be a Temple for the holy Ghost Thirdly consider that it is the inward man that enables a man to doe those things that are honourable unto God and profitable unto men no man can truely honour God that doth it not by the strength of the inward man neither can any man truely be said to profit another except what hee does flowes from the inward man unto him therefore the Apostle saith Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things above and not on things below but Satan comes and robs us of all the good that otherwayes we might doe and first he robs us of our selves by stealing from us the strength of the inward man and then secondly he robs our parents of
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
some parts but not in all parts as for example he may have a large capacity of knowledge in divine Truths yet he hath but weake affections to God or it may bee his affections are strong but his Iudgement is weake or it may be hee is strong in both that is he knowes the good and after his manner of loving hee loves the good but yet there is such weakenes in the wil that he will not yeild any true obedience unto God but it is not thus in the spirituall strength that is in the growth of the inward man for that leads him unto all growth in all parts now in the naturall growth wee say it is not a proper augmentation except there bee a growth in all parts as for example if a man should grow in one member and not in another as in the arme not in the legge we would not say that it were a growth but a disease and that many humours of the body were met together in his arme and that it were rather a signe that it should bee cut off from the body then a helpe unto the rest of the body even so the growth in any part of the soule if it bee not universall rather hurts then helpes that is it rather showes a disease in the soule then the health of the soule but the true spirituall strength that growes in all parts so much for the first difference The second difference is in the beginning and ending of that strength it hath another Alpha and Omega for the strength of the spirituall man is wrought by the Spirit and Word of God as thus the principles of religion being taught him out of Gods Word hence there is a spirituall strength conveyed into the soule for I say no man can receive the spirit of this spirituall strength but by the Gospell therefore consider what the goodnesse is that you have and how you came by it whether it came by the Gospell or no if it did you shall know it by these particulars First examine whether ever you were humbled that is examine whether by the preaching of the law you have had such a sight of sinne that hath broken your hearts if thus in the first place you came by it it is a signe that it is the true strength for this is the first worke of the Spirit when it comes to change the heart of a Christian and to make him a new Creature First throughly to humble him Secondly examine whether there hath followed a comfortable assurance of Gods love in Christ which hath not onely wrought Ioy and comfort against the former feare but also a longing desire after Christ and holinesse therefore if the holinesse that is in you be throughly wrought it doth proceed from the Spirit for this orderly proceeding of the Spirit doth make it manifest but as for the naturall strength it hath not such a beginning it is not wholly wrought by the Word it may be he hath beene a little humbled and comforted by the Word but it is not throughly and soundly wrought by the same Word but is a meere habituall strength of nature pickt out of observations and examples Againe as the spirituall strength hath a different beginning so it hath a different end the end of them are as farre if not further differing as their beginnings for as the holinesse that is in a Holy Man ariseth from a higher Well-head so it leads a man to a more nobler end then the naturall strength for the end of the spirituall mans strength is Gods glory that he may yeild better obedience unto God that hee may keepe truth with him and keepe in with him that he may have more familiarity with him and more confidence and boldnesse in prayer in a word that hee may be fit for every good worke But the end of the naturall strength is his owne ends his owne profit and pleasure and his owne good for as the rise of any thing is higher so the end is higher as for example water is lift upon the top of some Mountaine or high place because it may goe further then if it were not so when a man is strong in the inward man he is set up higher for another end and that is to please God and not himselfe and thus much for the second difference The third difference is this he that is spirituallystrong is strong in faith The strength of the inward man is faith but the strength of the outward man is but morall strength an habituall strength of nature it is faith that gives strength a man is not a strong man in Christ or in the inward man that hath not a strong faith Strong faith makes a man or woman strong that is it is that which makes a difference betweene a spirituall man and a naturall man for as reason makes a difference betweene men and beasts so faith makes a difference betweene a holy man and a wicked man as for example take a Philosopher that doth excell in other things as in humane knowledge such goe beyond other men yet in matters of faith and beleeving they are as blind as beetles and the reason is this the one sees and doth all things by faith but the other onely by the light of nature and this is the same that the Apostle speakes of in Hebr. 11. of weake they became strong that is because they had faith and were strong in the faith and trusted and beleeved and hoped in God therefore they became strong they did that which other men could not doe that wanted faith Sisera might doe as great things as Gideon but here is the difference Gideon doth them all out of Faith but the other doth them but from nature and so Socrates may in worldly things be as wise as Paul that is as wise in understanding and in policy by reason of excellent outward parts as Paul but here is the difference Paul doth all things out of faith but Socrates doth not therefore the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 4. 10. Wee are strong because we stand in God that is we have a strong faith in God and that makes us to withstand all the assaults of men and divels I say this is that which makes a difference betwixt us and the men of the world Diogenes may trample under his feete the things of the world as well as Moses but Moses by faith chose rather the one then the other Hebr. 11. 24. Faith in Christ made him to choose grace before the things of the world but it was not thus with the other his contempt of earthly things was not out of faith as Moses was who had respect unto Gods Commandement and to his promise for then and not till then is a man spiritually strong when hee will let life and riches and honour and pleasure and liberty and all goe for Christ the naturall man will never doe this this is the onely property of faith a supernaturall
ever was bought even Christ and grace and salvation which if you will but lay out your stocke of grace to buy him you shall have him that is if you have but a desire to receive Christ and lay him up in your hearts I tell you it will yeeld you a hundred for one Nay Christ the commoditie himselfe saith in Marke 10. He that for saketh father and mother and wife and children and life for my sake shall receive a thousand-fold in the life to come but men will not beleeve it but a time will come when you shall see it to bee true and befoole your selves that you lost so precious a bargaine as Christ and salvation is for the disbursing of a little profit and pleasure but as I said before the difference lyes here men want faith and hence it is that they neglect the strengthning of the inward man and are so over-burthened with losses and crosses because they want faith And so much for the third difference The fourth difference is this the naturall strength leades a man but unto a forme of godlinesse but the spirituall strength leads a man unto the power of godlinesse I call that the forme of godlinesse when a man doth performe or doe any thing with carnall affections not to a right end and this is knowne by this when they fall away from that stedfastnesse or forme and show of holinesse that they seemed to have this forme of godlinesse is the same with that in Heb. 6. A tasting of the Word of life and yet notwithstanding fall away they seemed to have tasted of saving grace and to have the power with the forme but it was not so because they continued not they lost that forme which made them seeme to bee that which now it appeares they were not Againe I call that the power of godlinesse which is performed by the divine power force and efficacy of the Spirit Rom. 2. 14. it is said that the Gentiles that were not under the law did by nature the things contained in the law that is they did it by the efficacy and power of nature Semblable unto this is that of the same Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 3. in the latter time men shall come in a forme of godlinesse that is with a forme in show without substance or power of the Spirit but the inward strength which is the inward man doth not onely teach you to doe but also it teacheth you how to doe them but men that have but a common strength have some bubles to good and they seeme to have this strength because they have the law of nature written in their hearts and they may promise much and yet he is not spiritually strong because he cannot doe spirituall actions in a spirituall manner for hee goes about that with a naturall strength which should be performed with a spirituall strength 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation when a man is truely regenerated when he hath not power of his owne to doe the Will of God then hee hath the spirit to helpe him that is they are not onely kept by the power from evill but also they are inabled to doe good by it The fifth difference betwixt the naturall and spirituall strength is this that which proceeds from the spirit is alwayes ioyned with reluctancy of the will but in the naturall strength there as no reluctancy because there is no contraries but in the spirituall man there is two contraries the flesh and the spirit and you know these can never agree but they are still opposing one another as for example a man that is going up a hill he is in labour and paine but a man that is going downe a hill goes with much ease so there is much labour and paine which a spirituall man takes to subdue the flesh but the naturall man hath no reluctancy at all he hath no fighting and strugling with corruption but he goes without paine because hee is but one and one man cannot be divided against it selfe but in every spirituall man there are two men the old man and the new man the flesh and the spirit and hence growes that spirituall combate Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that they cannot doe the things that they would these two men in a regenerate man strive for masteries and so hinder one the other Yet know also that in the naturall man there may be reluctancy in the will against some particular sinne as covetousnesse may strive against pride and pride against nigardnesse yet not fight against it as it is a sinne but as it crosseth and thwarteth his pride Againe know that a naturall man may have reluctancy in some part of the soule as in the conscience which is sensible of sinne and hence it may convince the man and the rest of the faculties notwithstanding they are at peace but where this spirituall strength is it is in all parts not one faculty against another but all are fighting against sinne in the whole man now the reason that there is not this reluctancy against sinne in every faculty in the naturall man is because hee wants saving grace grace is not in the faculty opposite unto the corruption that is in it but in the holy man there is and therefore he is like Rebecka they have two in them Iacob and Esau the flesh and the spirit and Paul complaines of so much Rom. 7. I finde another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde that is I finde something in me that is contrary unto me In my members that is in my body and soule notwithstanding first I hate the evill of sinne as being most contrary unto grace but yet I cannot avoyde it I cannot doe the things that I would but the naturall man doth not hate the evill of sinne otherwayes then as it brings punishment Secondly I delight in the Law of God in the inward man that is howsoever I am violently carried unto the committing of sinne yet it is against the desire of his soule he hath no pleasure he can take no delight in it for his delight is in the inward man but the naturall man takes Gods Lawes as burthens and therefore he will not submit himselfe unto them because he is not strong in the inward man hee promiseth but he performes not hee yeilds and yeilds not he yeilds to something but not to every thing And thus much for this last difference betwixt the naturall strength and the spirituall strength Is it so that the strength of the inward man is to be desired above all things then as it was in the first place for reproofe so in the second place it may serve for exhortation to all men that they would labour to grow strong in the inward man and that they would now at last gather the fragments of their thoughts and
if you would not then you must keepe strength in the inward man In the 1. Psalme the Psalmist sets forth the excellency of that man that is strong in the inward man He shall be like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water First hee sets forth the propertie of the spirituall man he shall be greene Secondly his stabilitie he shall be as a tree planted that is which shall not easily be pluckt up Thirdly his perpetuitie his branches shall never wither he shall never grow unseemely to God Fourthly his fruitfulnesse he shall bring forth fruit in season that is hee shall be fruitfull in grace but on the contrary when a man growes weake in the inward man it will be farre otherwaies with him he will bee like a tree that hath lost both sap and roote leafe and fruit set in a barren soyle with withered branches and fruitlesse fit for nothing but the fire but if a man can keepe his strength in the inward man neither reproach nor disgrace nor shame nor the divell shall be able to make that man miserable Therefore keepe the Image of the inward man safe whatsoever becomes of the outward man And there is good reason why you should keepe the inward man safe because it keeps the soule and directs it unto its right end In Eccles. 12. the Wise man saith All things are vanitie and vexation of spirit when a man loses his happinesse in the inward man though hee keepe the outward man secure yet it were but vanitie and vexation of the spirit For hee goes besides the rule he should goe there is a rule unto every creature that it is to goe by and the neerer the creature comes unto the rule the more excellent is the creature but if it goes besides the rule it loseth its excellency as for example the fire and water are excellent creatures if they keepe to their rule but if they exceed their rule then they become hurtfull So the rule of the soule is the inward man that he grow in grace and holinesse and the closer you keepe to this the more excellent you are therefore that you may keepe your excellency which you cannot doe except you strengthen the inward man let this moove you to doe it In the third place this may serve for direction for you may say unto mee you have showed us what this inward man is and the differences betwixt the inward strength and the outward strength and you have also laid downe motives to move vs to strengthen the inward man but alas how shall we strengthen the inward man what meanes shall we use to doe so To helpe you in this worke I will lay downe some meanes by the use of which you may bee strengthned but before I come unto the particulars it will not bee amisse to stand upon the generall and a little to perswade you but to desire to be strong for if you could but bring your hearts unto this but to desire to be strengthned it will be a great meanes to move you to prevaile against whatsoever may seeme to hinder you from it I say if you did but desire it if you did but know the excellency of the inward man it would worke a holy desire in you and a true desire will let no meanes escape that may further it This is the same meanes that Christ uses unto his Disciples when he would have them in love with Faith if you had Faith yea but asmuch Faith as this graine of Musterd seed you should be able to remoove mountaines if you did but know the excellency of this Grace of Faith you would desire it and if you did but desire it you would never rest till you get it so if you did but prize grace and the inward man at a high rate you should bee sure to have him you know the promise Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after rightcousnesse for they shall be satisfied therefore if you could but bring your hearts unto this frame as to hunger after the inward man you should have him or if you can but bring your hearts unto this temper as to desire him or seeke after the strength of the inward man you should find him Prou. 2. 4. If thou searchest for her as for silver and diggest for her as for hid treasure then thou shalt find c. If you did but esteeme the inward man as men doe silver and prize it as a rich treasure at a high rate then the effect would follow you should find so then if you will desire salvation and happinesse and the strength of the inward man you shall bee saved but you will never thrive in grace till you have a desire to thrive grace will not grow till there be a desire wrought in the soule for when men doe not delight in the inward man they never grow in grace and holinesse they are not as trees planted that bring forth seasonable fruit but barren doe what you will to it the soyle is naught for the spirit hath not yet tilled the heart and sowne in it the first beginning of the seeds of grace which is a desire after it now as it is good in the bodily sicknesse to know the meanes of recovery so in the sicknesse and weakenesse of the inward man it is good to know the meanes by which it may be strengthned therefore we will now come unto the particular meanes for the strengthning of the inward man The first meanes to strengthen the inward man is to abound in spirituall knowledge because the more knowledge the more strength for the spirituall knowledge of divine truthes is the strength of the soule for as the soule is unto the body so is the knowledge of the word unto the inward man The body is dead without the soule not able to doe any thing so the inward man without this spirituall strength which is wrought in the soule by the saving knowledge of the Word is nothing but weakenesse thereforé the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of Word that yee may grow by it knowledge in the Word will make them grow in Christ the contrary unto this we see the Apostles upbraides in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3. 1. and Heb. 5. 13. because they were weake in knowledge hee cals them Babes for saith hee Hee that is not expert in the Word of righteousnesse is a Babe therefore labour to abound in spirituall knowledge I presse this the more because I feare many of you are weake because you are ignorant you want this spirituall knowledge you know in our ordinary talke we count ignorance folly when a man doth any thing that he should not doe or would not doe if he did but understand himselfe we say that man is weake in judgement or it is folly in him surely this weakenesse in the inward man is folly indeed and a man cannot show
his weakenesse more then to bee weake in spirituall knowledge and yet you must know that a man may have much knowledge as worldly knowledge and the knowledge of divine truthes and yet bee but weake in the inward man for there is a knowledge of Arts which fils the braine with knowledge but the spirit goes no further that is it doth not sanctifie that knowledge in the heart Againe there is a knowledge of the spirit which is an operative working knowledge which goes with this other knowledge and leads it to sanctification and is practicall But yet I say you must know before you can be strong there must be some proportion betweene the spirituall knowledge and the spirituall strength as for example one man eates and is fat another man eates and is still leane so some have asmuch as others have and yet are not so strong as others and yet wee say fatnesse comes by eating so doth the strength of the inward man by knowledge and where the Lord workes by his Spirit by his Spirit I say the most knowledge there is most strength therefore I beseech you labour for a full measure of saving knowledge for a working purging convincing operative and powerfull knowledge And this I doe not onely speake unto you that are weake but also unto you that are strong that you be carefull to adde unto your knowledge for what is the reason that you doe not grow in grace but because you are not carefull to adde more knowledge unto that which you have it may bee you picke some good things from some Sermon or good booke but presently you forget it you doe not make it your owne by meditation and so it doth you no good but if you would be carefull to adde unto it you would grow stronger in the inward man then you doe and here is the misery of vs builders other builders when they have built a house the owner lookes to it himselfe and keepes it in repaire but when we have done what wee can to build you up in the inward man and thinke that you will put to your hands your selves when we are to further the worke of grace you begin to pull downe your building againe your selves by your loose lives by following your pleasure your sporting and gaming and prophaning of the Lords day Therefore you must labour to grow in knowledge if you will grow strong in the Inward man The second meanes to bee used if you would grow strong in the inward man is this you must bee diligent in the use of the meanes as the Wise man saith the hand of the diligent maketh rich as diligence in a calling makes rich so where there is much diligence in the use of the meanes of grace there is much strength in the inward man but no man gets spirituall strength save they that are diligent and therefore this is the reason that men are not strong in this spirituall strength because like the sluggard they are not diligent in the use of the meanes they take no paines for grace and therefore it is that they get no increase for according unto the proportion of your paines so is the inward man strengthned and as you use them more diligently so you find the strength of them more operative and powerfull for it is in the soule as it is in the body if you bee not diligent and carefull to feed the body it will wither and consume away and grow weake so if you feed not the soule diligently and use the meanes constantly you will breed weakenesse in the soule and the more secure and remisse you are in the performance of holy duties the weaker you are it may be you thinke it will not weaken you to neglect private prayer but omit it once and it will make you carelesse and the more you neglect the more unfit and undisposed you will find your selves So you may thinke you may prophane one Sabbath neglecting therein the duties required and serving not God but your owne lusts but beloved it will make you secure the more a man doth in this kind the more he may doe for this is true in every Art every act begets a habite and a habite brings custome so it is as true in good things the beginning of good brings many particular good things and therefore if you can but get your hearts in a frame of grace you shall finde a supply of grace because Christ saith Whosoever hath to him shall bee given hee that hath grace and is carefull in the use of the meanes by Gods appointment hee shall thrive in holinesse for if you but once get the beginnings of saving grace and be industrious and vigilant and carefull to imploy them you will in time grow strong you know what Christ said unto the servant that had used his Talent well he had more given him so if you be diligent in the use of the meanes the inward man will grow strong but for the using of the meanes observe these rules The first rule that I would have you observe if you would have the meanes effectuall is this you must use all the meanes for if you use but a part of the meanes you will not grow strong at it is with the body so it is with the inward man a man for the health and growth of the body will use all meanes labour in health Physicke in sicknesse recreation for the whetting of the faculty in a word he will vse every thing that hee may strengthen the body thus you must doe for the strengthning of the inward man you must use all meanes as hearing the Word receiving the Sacrament Prayer Meditation Conference the Communion of Saints particular resolutions to good or else the inward man will not grow strong these are the food that the inward man feeds upon it is with the inward man as it is with a plant if you would have a plant to grow then you must set it in a good soyle you must digge about it and dung it but if you bee carelesse where you set it It will not prosper and thrive even so if you doe not adde fatnesse of soyle unto the beginnings of grace if you doe not use all the meanes as the Communion of Saints and Prayer the inward man will not grow strong but wither and dye you will bee dwarfes in grace and holinesse The second rule if you would have the meanes effectuall is this you must looke that you performe holy duties strongly for then the meanes strengthen the inward man when they are done with strong affections when he useth them not remissely and coldly for remisse actions weakneâ—â— the habit as for example take water that is exceeding hot and put cold water to it and you will weaken it so performe holy duties and use the meanes of grace remissly and they will weaken the habit to good it will worke an Indisposition in the soule therefore doe them strongly with much zeale and strong
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
more even as water hardneth Iron when it is hot but this godly sorrow works other effects therefore the Apostle saith I was glad that you were sorrowfull because it wrought repentance in you that is it changed your hearts so much for this question The fourth question is this whether there bee any difference betweene the godly sorrow and that which is false To this I answer that they differ in three things especially 1. In the Obiect  2. In the Causes  3. In the Effects The first difference is in the object the object of worldly sorrow is the punishment of sinne the wrath of God he lookes upon these without any relation to Christ but the object of godly sorrow is sinne as it stands in opposition with the love of God towards him in Christ and howsoever a regenerate man lookes upon the punishment yet in a different degree not so much because he feares punishment as that he should give his father such cause to take such displeasure against him but it is sinne that hee principally lookes upon viz. that he hath displeased so good so gracious a Father as God hath beene unto him and this is that which workes humiliation in him but the other sees the wrath of God and hell death and that finall separation betweene him and happinesse and hereupon for feare of punishment he is humbled Thus you see the difference in the objects The second difference is in the causes the cause of the worldly sorrow is either some judgement present either upon his person or in his substance or in his family or else it is some judgement that hee feares God will inflict upon him hereafter either in his riches or in his credit and reputation amongst men and therefore for feare of these he is humbled But the cause of godly sorrow is the apprehension of sinne as it is contrary unto the nature purity and perfection of God as also of Gods love towards a man he hath an eye given him whereby he sees into the riches of Gods love unto him and then reflects upon himselfe and sees his carriage towards God for such mercy and finding no proportion betweene them hence growes his sorrow that hee should thus requite God with sinne for mercy The third difference is in the effects for as they doe proceed not from one and the same ground so they bring not forth the same but contrary effects and they are three fold First worldly sorrow it drawes the affections of the heart from God because they see him as a judge they cannot love him as a Father he takes God to be his enemy and therefore doth what he can to flye from him because he expects no good from him this we see as before in Adam Cain and Iudas but the godly sorrow it makes a man cleave faster unto Christ to sticke faster unto grace it whets the affections to love Christ to prize Christ more it workes a willing readinesse in the soule to obey it puts by that which would make him flye from Christ Secondly worldly sorrow it hurts the body it breeds diseases it wasts and consumes the Intrailes breeds and brings consumption of the body it duls and makes dead the soule it takes away the rellish of spirituall things it makes a man carelesse to good it daules and makes a man unwilling unto any good But the godly sorrow it is the life of the soule it is the health of the body it quickneth the soule of man unto good it puts a new life into it it workes a readinesse in the will and love in the affections to Christ grace and holinesse Thirdly worldly sorrow it makes a man of a hot and a fiery spirit it stirres him up after evill to reproach and disgrace his neighbour it fils him full of hatred revenge and envy but godly sorrow it breeds another kind of Spirit in him it makes him of a meeke and a quiet spirit wordly sorrow will not put up reproach disgrace and wrong but this will put up all injuries and wrongs and whatsoever else hee meets withall for Christ thus you see the difference betweene these The fifth question is this how shall I know whether my sorrow be a godly sorrow or no. To this I answer you shall know it by these three things 1. By the Ingredients  2. By the Continuance  3. By the Event First I say you shall know it by the Ingredients for first they have not onely the sence of punishment which is common unto the worldly sorrow for I say howsoever it is the property of worldly sorrow to apprehend punishment yet it is likewise required of godly sorrow to be sensible of punishment but there is another light put into him whereby hee sees into the uncleanenesse of sinne he sees sinne in its owne dye not onely sinne to bee sinne but sinne to bee vile and hereupon he will not content himselfe with mercy unlesse he may have grace but the other cares not if he may be free from punishment whether hee hath strength against corruption or no. Secondly you shall know it by the continuance of it godly sorrow is constant but worldly sorrow is but a passion of the mind it changes it lasts not though for the present it may be violent and strong and worke much outwardly yet it comes but by fits and continues not like a land flood which violently for the present over-flowes the banckes but it will away againe it is not alwayes thus but the godly sorrow is like a spring that still keepes his running it is not dryed up but runnes still it is not so violent as the other but it is more sure you shall have it still running both Winter and Summer wet and dry in hot and cold earely and late so this godly sorrow is the same in a regenerate man still take him when you will he is still sorrowing for sinne this godly sorrow it stands like the center of the earth which removes not but still remaines Thirdly you shall know it by the successe and event of it it will turne the heart unto Christ it will make the heart stand more firme in grace it will turne the whole frame of the soule unto God like the Loadstone that will not rest till it hath toucht the Iron or as the needle touched will not stand till it touch the North-pole So it is with this godly sorrow when a man hath received but a touch of the spirit he will never rest till he hath toucht Christ till he be at peace with him nothing will satisfie him till Christ come into the Soule till Christ be his nothing will make him to remove that confidence and trust that hee hath in Christ all things shall goe for Christ. But the worldly sorrow hath another successe namely to flye faster away from God as I have showed in Iudas and Caine. And thus much for this question The sixt question
loath the creature but sinne all the imperfections and blemishes and diseases and infirmities of the creature makes not God to loath it if there be not a mixture of sinne with it because they are not contrary unto God they fight not against God but sinne fights against the purity and holinesse of God and therefore Gods hatred of the creature is onely a hatred for sinne Secondly to us it is the greatest evill the argument stands thus that which deprives us of the greatest good is the greatest evill but this sinne doth Ergo. for it doth deprive us of all things that are good but especially of two things wherin standeth our chiefest good As first it deprives us of the best outward good which is God as the Prophet saith Your sinnes separate betweene you and your God and they keepe good things from you of all other good especially they hinder the comming of grace into your hearts Now what greater evill can there be then this to keepe both God and his Grace from us Secondly it deprives us of the chiefest good within us as for example First it deformes the beautie and strength of the inward man Secondly it weakens that grace that is within that is it makes us unable to resist evill this is the nature of sinne Thirdly if you cannot see it in these then come unto the effects that it workes and it will appeare to be the greatest evill First it turnes all the faculties and parts of the soule body to evill and is the breeder of all distemperature as feare and horrour in the soule Secondly it brings all the evill that doth befall a man in this life they all come by sinne all shame reproach povertie disgrace punishment comes by sinne now if you will but consider sinne in these you will see it to be evill but especially you shall see the evill of sinne in a distressed conscience what feare what amazement what astonishment and despaire what sorrow what anguish of heart is there as upon Iudas no restitution will serve no comfort will worke no perswasion will prevaile thus if you looke upon sinne it will appeare the greatest evill Fourthly sinne is the greatest evill if you consider the medicine that must come to heale it Christ must lay downe his glory for a time hee must abase himselfe hee must come from heaven to earth he must take our nature upon him and humble himselfe unto a cursed death before sinne can be healed now put them altogether sinne is evill by nature Againe it is evill because it deprives us of the greatest good both within us and without us it is the cause of all diseases shame and reproach such an evill that nothing will heale but the blood of Christ looke upon sinne thus cloathed and it will appeare the greatest evill Make conscience therefore of little sinnes for they bring great evils though the sands of the Seas be but little yet a many heaped together make a great burthen so sinne though but in an idle word thought or behaviour seeme to be but a little sinne yet lay many of them together and they will breake the soule and make it barren and unfit to good if a man owe but little debts yet if they be many if he looke and cast them up in the totall hee will finde himselfe presently to bee but a bankerupt so it is with sinne what though the sinne be but a little sinne yet give this a little vent put it to action and this sinne will proove a great sinne give once consent and in time it will be a raigning sinne and when it is thus then it turnes the soule into evill sets it on a rage imprisons it makes it to obey and to be a slave to Sathan now what greater evill can there bee then sinne thus much for the first meanes to get the Iudgement rectified which will see sinne so as to humble it The second meanes to be humbled is this you must labour to make your hearts fit to be humble and that you may doe this you must doe these things First you must labour to get some sense of holinesse that is you must get the heart in a frame of grace for except a man get the spirit he will not be humbled but when there is holinesse bred in the heart then he will see sinne to be humble hee will see sinne out of his place Take any heavy thing especially water and in its place it is not heavy but let it be remooved out of its place and it will be a heavy burthen even so will sinne bee unto you when you have once gotten the spirit you will then see sinne out of his place and to be a heavy burthen that you will not willingly beare it but you will stoope under it and therefore the more holinesse that any man gets the more will be his sight of sinne and where there is most sight of sinne there will be most griefe for sinne and this griefe is alwayes accompanied with this humiliation that I speake of and where there is the greatest humiliation for sinne there is the greatest doore of mercy opened where there is most sence of sinne there the heart is best fitted for grace and in this case the more tender of conscience the better Christian. Secondly if you would be fit to bee humble consider another thing which is the punishment of sinne if you continue in sinne you shall be damned deprived of glory you were once good consider now wherein your happinesse consists consider that you have an immortall soule and that you must be called to an account the serious considerations of these things will make you to bee humble Nebuchadnezzar when he is brought to be like a beast then he confesseth that the Lord is God and humbles himselfe even so should wee Againe doe but consider that all things are in the hands of God and that every one of you in particular are and that he is able presently to dispose of you as he will Againe consider that God is alwayes every where that hee sees all things and that he will judge all men and that a day of judgement a day of departure to judgement is appointed unto all consider also the severity of the Iudge the sentence that hee will pronounce the punishment that he will inflict the eternity of the time I say if men would but consider these things wishly they would not goe on in sinne as they doe but the want of consideration of these things keepes men from Christ. For if the adulterer would but consider what the Scripture saith that no adulterer shall be saved or if the covetous man or drunkard c. that wholly devotes themselves unto evill would but consider that in 1 Cor. 6. 9. that none of these should inherit the Kingdome of God they would not goe on in sinne as they doe Againe if they did but consider that all sinne ends in paine that
something joyned with it as a man that is full who cares not for eating Grapes and therefore stands looking and gazing on them or as a man that is not a thirst hee will gaze more on the graving of the cup then hee will desire to drinke that which is in the cup when as the hungry or thirsty man he will not so much gaze on the Grape or respect the outside of the cup as to eate and to drinke so a truly humbled man he will not regard eloquence and wit in the Word this is unto him but as a graven cup that will not satisfie him but the pure word alone is that which will satisfie him and nourish him up in grace A man that is not humble is like a sieve that looseth thorow it all that is good but keeps nothing but motes and durt when he comes unto the word if there be any thing that may fit his humour that he will hold which is nothing but vanitie and nourisheth not but for that which is able to feed the soule and make him wise in all spirituall wisedome which is the application both of the threatnings and the promises unto the soule this he lets goe as not worth the keeping and this is the reason why men remaine so barren and fruitlesse because they doe not retaine that or love that which would make them fruitfull in holinesse these men are like children that cry for bookes not because they have a desire to learne but because they may turne over some gaudy or gilded letters so these men they come to Church and they heare and they receive the Sacraments and they reade the Word but not to learne to be edified by them but to play with some golden letters to heare the folly and foolishnesse of him that preacheth himselfe and not Christ or for fashion sake or for some other by-respect but not to this end that they may bee builded up in grace The second part of the Word is the Medicine part the healing part for as there is power in the Word to fill the soule full of grace so there is another power in the Word to heale the breaches and wounds in the soule now hee that will finde this saving power in the Word he must be humble he must finde and feele himselfe sicke of sinne unto death then the Word hath this power to save and to heale but if a man doe not finde himselfe spiritually sicke the Word will never heale him but it will be a quite contrary medicine rather a destroying medicine then a healing medicine it will be unto him like as the Sun is to him that hath sore eyes the more the Sun shines the more offensiue it is unto him and the greater paine it puts him unto So it is with a man that is not humble and sicke of sinne the more the Word lights upon his sinne the more hee stormes and strives against it it is with him as it is with a man that is sicke when men are sicke then every thing troubles them then they will be humble so when men are spiritually sicke then sinne troubles them it is with them as it was with Absolon and David there was a rumour of warre before there was true warre so it is with men in this case they have a kinde of warre in themselves they seele sinne and are affrighted with it but the warre is not true it is but a counterfeit warre a feigned warre because it is betweene the conscience and hell and not betweene the flesh and the spirit therefore examine your selves by this whether you be truly humbled or no. The fourth signe whereby you shall know whether you bee throughly humbled or no is this when a man is little in his owne eyes when hee thinkes himselfe worthy to be destroyed this wee see to bee the true property of a humbled soule in Eze. 36. Then shall you remember your own euill waïes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your owne sight for your iniquities they shall so remember them that they shall think them selues worthy to be destroied for then and not till then is a man truely humbled Lam. 3. 22. saith the Church It is thy mercy that wee are not consumed as if shee should say I am worthy to be destroyed and therefore it is a great mercy in thee to saue me now if a man bee humbled he will be patient milde and gentle and louing he will patiently vndergoe reproach and shame for Christ and loue them that show no true loue unto him on the contrary you may see if a man bee not humbled then he is proud and impatient collericke and angry Danid was humble in the matter of Vriah and Eli was humbled when hee heard the judgement that was threatned against his house It is the Lord saith he 1. Sam. 3. Let him doe what is good in his owne eyes that is I am worthy of it let come what will come but if your hearts rise with pride and impatience your hearts are not truely humbled and broken for hee that is the humblest man is least in his owne eyes sinne will breake the heart of a holy man and humble him but if you be not humbled your hearts will remaine stiffe and stubborne that is they will not yeeld therefore the more humility that a man gets the more is his heart broken with sinne the lesse hee esteemes of himselfe therefore examine your selves whether you bee little or great in your owne eyes and accordingly judge of your selves The fift Signe whereby you may know whether you be throughly humbled or no is this examine your obedience unto Christ if the soule be humbled it will yeild generall obedience unto God True humiliation will breed obedience in you now if you finde that you yeeld no obedience unto God but you will notwithstanding prophane the Sabbath and be drunke and game it is because you were never truly humbled for if you were you would yeeld obedience humiliation fits the soule for obedience makes it of a plyable disposition and that for these reasons The first reason is because humiliation makes a man to see God in his holinesse and power he that before respected not God when he comes to this to see the power of God will submit himselfe an example of this wee have in Belchazer that feared the Lord after he was throughly humbled but when a holy man with the power of God sees the purity and perfection that is in God this humbles him more and that also in regard of his owne basnesse and vilenesse and hence properly the obedience of a holy man proceeds Obedience depends upon humiliation As with men when a man or woman sees the power of a superiour and that he is under his power then hee becomes humble and obedient The second reason is because humiliation makes a man to desire the favour of God now you know a man
deceived then the man in the judging betweene good and evill as for example a man that is weake in judgement is like a childe and you know that children will be wonne with Counters and feared with bug-beares so if you love the world and the things of the world and are wonne by them feared with the losse of them you are weake in judgement Againe in things that are good in themselves if you use them immoderately and then seeke to excuse this by putting a false glosse upon your doing you are weake in judgement as for example in studying the Law the thing in it selfe is good but if by studying of it you seeke to excuse you from strengthning of the inward man that you have no time and leisure you are weake in judgement because you are easie to bee deceived therefore as you are affected with these things and as they prevaile with you so you may judge of your selves The fifth signe whereby you shall know whether your judgements are rectified is this examine what you are in the times of tryall as you are in these times so you are either strong or weake and so God esteemes of you for God esteemes a man strong as he is in the time of tryall thus he approoved of Abraham Abraham in the time of tryall was strong and Paul in the time of tryall was strong and therefore God set a price upon them hee priseth them at a high rate Abraham is his friend and Paul is a chosen vessell and not only when the temptation is past but when the temptation is present then see your strength whether you have strength to master particular corruptions if in this time you start aside you have flawes and much weakenesse in you you are like a broken bow that will seeme for show as well as the best but when a man comes to draw it then it breakes so some men seeme to bee strong in Christ till they bee tryed but when they are drawne then they breake they have no strength to withstand sinne and therefore it is that God many times sends temptations and afflictions to this end to try men to see what is in them whether they are such as they seeme to be or no not that he knowes not before but because that by his tryall others may know what they are And here God makes a difference in tryalls some are tryed by small others by great tryalls partly because hypocrites may be knowne and partly because hee may stirre up the godly to get more strength as also to weane them from depending upon their owne strength therefore in Esa. 40. 30. it is said Even the youths shall faint and be weary that is he that thought himselfe to be strong in his owne apprehension shall proove weake And thus much for the third meanes The fourth meanes if you would grow strong in the inward man is this you must remoove the excuses and those hinderances which hinder the groweth of the inward man and these are especially two The first hinderance is this when you spend your strength upon other things and not in the strengthning of the inward man this makes you not to grow strong in the inward man therefore you must be wise to take away from these things and spend more time and take more paines in strengthning of the inward man for this is the reason that you grow not all your time and affections are after the things of the world and how you may grow strong in that that you cannot minde heavenly things Againe you hinder the growth of the inward man when you set your affections upon base and vile things this hindereth the growth of the inward man this man is a weak man in grace as for example a man that hath money to bestow at Market if when he shall come there he shall bestow it on bables and not on the things that he went to buy this man were a foolish man especially he knowing that he shall be called to an account for it how he hath laid it out even thus and much more foolish are men when they spend their time on their pleasures and lust which are base things and not on strengthning of the inward man they befoole themselves and this is that which the Wise man saith that there is a price in the hand of a foole but hee hath no heart When men neglect the strengthning of the inward man they forsake a great price that would enrich them but because they want knowledge because they are weake in the inward man they are not able to Iudge in the inward man of spirituall things therefore never bragge of your strength except it be the strength of the inward man and take heed of neglecting the time Paul would have the gathering for the poore to be before he came that that might not hinder him from strengthning of the inward man though that was a holy worke It was a good speech of one who after that he had spent much time in writing about Controversies at last concludes I have saith he spent a great deale of time but not in strengthning the inward man the divell hath beguiled me but he shall goe beyond mee no more that time that I have I will spend unto another end It were wisedome in you to doe the like you that have spent and doe spend your time about trifles and bables upon your lusts conclude that now for the time to come you will gather your strength and bend all your labour and paines to this end for the strengthning of the inward man and say in your selves we had a price in our hands that is wee had much time whereby wee might have strengthned the inward man but wee had no heart that is we were befooled because we did not know the excellency of the inward man but we will doe so no more the time now that wee have shall bee spent in this how wee may bee strengthned in the inward man and grow in favour with God The second hinderance that must be remooved which is contrary unto the growth of the inward man is strong lusts unmortified affections there are inward hinderances which must be remooved before the soule can grow strong in grace these venome the soule and keepe off the stroke of the Word it keepes the plaister from the sore as for example if a man be wounded by an arrow so long as the arrow head is in the wound no plaister will heale it now as it is in the outward man so it is with the inward man if you retaine any lust any beloved sinne and so come unto the ordinances of God you will come without profit because the arrow head is in the wound your lusts you keepe unmortified and so long you cannot be healed this keepes the plaister off the sore you know what paines the humours of the body will breed in a man when they gather into any part of the body and how they
will hinder the augmentation in other parts So when these evill humours of the soule gather together and begin to reigne and beare rule in the soule it is unpossible that the soule should grow in holinesse till they be purged away therefore be earnest with God to purge out these humours whether they be profit or pleasure or honour or any other thing and in thus doing you shall strengthen the inward man and the stronger that the inward man is the healthfuller the soule is I say it is unpossible that you should thrive in the inward man so long as you retaine any sinne and therefore our Saviour saith How can yee beleeve seeing you seeke honour one of another if you retaine the love of credit and reputation in the world before grace how can you beleeve You cannot be strong in the inward man The fifth meanes to strengthen the inward man is this you must get spirituall courage and joy you must get ioy in the new birth the contrary unto this is discouragment and sorrow nothing so much weakens the inward man except sinne as discouragement and againe nothing so availeable to make a man strong as courage and joy this was the meanes that Nehemiah used Nehe. 8. when he would build up the Wals of Ierusalem saith he bee not discouraged or sorrow for your joy shall be as the joy in harvest Nehemiah had a great worke to doe and what argument useth he to make them to hold out but this to bee full of courage and joy as if he should have said if you hold your courage you will hold your strength and then the worke will be easie unto you and this we see by experience In war great courage where there is but little strength will doe more then great meanes with little courage Ioshua can doe more with a small army full of courage then a great army with little courage Againe I say unto those that are travailing towards Heaven take heed of giving discouragements unto any for this is the property of the divell to discourage men and therefore this is the reason that hee makes men doubt of their salvation to feare their calling to question Gods love towards them in Christ that the way to Heaven is narrow and hard and God is pure and just withall and thou thy selfe art full of strong lusts thou shalt never subdue them it will be in vaine for thee to set upon them hereupon he is so discouraged that hee neglects the mortifying of sinne but be not discouraged but know that strength to resist the least temptation is not of your selves it is not your owne Well then if it comes not by any power of your owne but it is by the strength of another Then for your comfort know that hee that gave you power against a small temptation is also able and willing and will certainely helpe you against a raging lust and so likewise for the performance of holy duties though you find your selves indisposed to pray or heare the Word or the like yet know that it is God that fits the heart hee can of unfit make it fit and of unwilling make it willing and remember the promise Luke 11. 14. hee will give the holy Ghost unto them that aske him hee will give such a supply of grace that yee shall bee enabled to withstand any temptation therefore if you would grow strong take heed of discouragements and let one Christian take heed of discouraging of another Christian by any speech action or behaviour and let Ministers take heed of discouraging of their flockes for it is the property of false prophets to discourage the people from God And this is the sinne of this land especially of prophane people that never thinke themselves well but when they are casting reproachfull speeches against those that labour to strengthen the inward man but this discovers a great deale of corruption in them and it is a meanes to pull downe the Iudgements of God upon them Againe take heed of discouragements bee not cast downe when you meete with such as will revile you and speake evill by you this will weaken the inward man The sixt meanes if you would strengthen the inward man is this you must get faith you must labour to bee strong in the Lord you must goe about all things with Gods strength and not with your owne and therefore the Apostle saith When I am weake then I am strong 2 Cor. 12. 13. And I rejoyce in my infirmities that the power of God may be seene in my weakenesse that is I rejoyce in those infirmities that discover my owne weakenesse to God that I may not put any confidence thereby in my selfe Againe I rejoyce in my infirmities because they are meanes to humble me Againe I rejoyce in my infirmities and weakenesse because hereby I feele my weakenesse that I may goe out of my selfe and depend wholly upon God therefore when you goe about any businesse or performe any holy action unto God as you must doe it in Faith so you must renounce all strength in your selves and then God cannot but prosper your businesse or whatsoever good you goe about when you goe about it with Gods strength as Gideon did and on the contrary the Lord hath pronounced a curse against him that shall goe about any thing with his owne strength Iere. 17. 5. Cursed is the man that maketh flesh his Arme that is that goeth about any thing in confidence of his owne strength without Faith in me thus you see that if you would bee strong in the inward man you must get saving Faith in Christ. The seventh meanes if you would strengthen the inward man is this you must get the spirit all other wayes will nothing availe you except you get this for this is that which makes them effectuall and makes a difference betwixt men Sampson was strong and so were other men but Sampson was stronger then other men because hee had the Spirit and it is said of Iohn Baptist that hee came in the spirit of Eliah that which made a difference betweene Iohn and other men was the Spirit he came in the spirit of Eliah hee had the same spirit that Eliah had and therefore hee had the greater efficacy if Iohn had not had this spirit he had beene but as other men therefore whatsoever you doe labour above all things to get the spirit nothing will strengthen the inward man except you have the Spirit it is the Spirit that makes the inward man to grow strong in the soule And thus much for the meanes of the strengthning of the inward man and for this point we now proceed By the Spirit The next thing that is to be considered is the meanes which the Apostle layes downe whereby they may be strengthned in the inward man and that is to have the Spirit that hee would grant you c. that you may be strengthned by the Spirit in the inward man as if