58 The jir0Sermon. of Goddoworke in them.Andtherefore from theconfiderationhereof,wemaywell make trial( and examination ofour fettles. s So to conclude thispoynt ina word, when a man by thefpirit of God hath been in- s lightenedvntoacertaine and fufiìcientknowledge of Gods will : when hefndet) hisaf- 3 feetion, chieflyandabout all other thingsletvpon God t when he findctha pure and fin- cere loueof God in his heart,not forwages, but for theworke ofgrace,whichafter an vn- 4 fpeakable manner doth inoue him thereunto : andwhen hedoth thankfully acknowledge mercies receiued,as he doth carefully attend and waitevpon theLord, tillhe beftow fome greater meafureof graces vpon him ; then may he be vndoubtedlyperfvaded, that he bath foundthefpiritworking in him inamoreeffeauall manner , and that therefore it Ihallneuerbe takenfrom him. But what then? may loth men call offal( care ? No, for vPhat the vntothem clothS.Paalgiuethis charge, That they donotqusosch thefpirit. And not with- godly arc to out caule dothhe giue themthis charge : for though the1pirit felfe can neuer be taken fare, utterly from them, yet doabtle0è if they waxe proud, if theygrow fecure,if they fall into fame, thegraces and giftsof the fpiritmay decayanddie in them, their cleerevnderftan- ding,their feeling, their affeéiiou and all maybegone ; fo chat in their ovine judgement, and in thejudgementof others, it may feelne thatthey banequite quenched , and put out thefpirit. Neither mid} thisfeeme fo ftrange: for if theimage ofGod, which was more perfectly placed in Adam, then isis now in vs : If I fay, this image might quitebe loft and blotted out, aswe feeit ovas; then no marueileifthe graces of the fpnit of Godbe for a time, as it.were dead and drowned invs.. And thatwe may be theIdle offended herewith, the Scriptures doe offer vetovs fuch examples of men, as booing beenonce effe&ually called and truly borne againe, baueyet afterward through Tome fares, loft the gracesof thefpirit; fuchwere theGalathians, for they weretruly called,and effe£tually regenerate by the fpirit and GofpellofGod, as inayappeare by this, thatfor the words lakethey re- uerenced theApoftle astheAngeli ofGod -; yettheywere.fnared with falfe deChine, and fell very dangerouuly to the choking and quenchingofthe graces of Gods fpiritinthem. Thefpirit it felfe was not taken from them, nay, Chriftdid Rillcontinue in their hearts: butyet forwant of godly graces, he was asit were without fafhionor forme : fo that. the Apoftledid.as it weretrauell againe,vntill Chriftwas faftioned anewin them. Daaidal- fovpon thecommitting of lus thine, -was-brought intothe like cafe : thereforeto the p. Pfalme lieprayed],That Godmallcreatein him is newfpirit. What ?was theipirit quite gone? No,for bydc byín the famePflme heprayeth,7hatoheLordwaatld not tales away his holyfp- Dauidsfeeling ritfroucbins kioev can theetwo Claudtogether ,frfttopray, that a newfpirit may becrea- lof?. ted inhim ;and then, that elio Ipirir of Godmayabt be take,, from bun b Surely thefpirit it felfe was (till inhim, andtherefore heprayeth, chair-may not be taken from him : but thegraces,andgracious working ofthe1pirie they were dead and gone g. and thereforehe prayeth that theymay be renewed in him. ,By this their we fee, that thevery chiefegraces ofthe fpirit maybe quenched, eucoin the moil godly; when theyfail into finne. Btuyet that no libercieniaybe takenhereby, let vsa little confider what griefe and punifliment Note. theyprocure tothenifehus,thatdoebyanymeanes lofetliegraces oldiefpirit. Farfiofall wemuff know, that though...thefpirit of God cannotbegotten byour labour, yet it cau- fethvs muchlabour, andwe tnuft tndergoemuchtrauell, and fúffer much trouble, be- forethe fpirit ofGoddoe takepobrellion of Vs: nowwhen thegraces ofthe fpiritare loft, allthis ourlabourfeemethtobeloft, andwhat griefeisitto fee the wholelabour andera- Our ioymay uel lofaman tovanifh anti come tonothing ? Secondly, when a man receiueth the fyirit be loft. ofGod, andbythe lame ipirit is alfured that his finne isforgiuen him, andthat he is in tl,e fauour ofGod ; there dothArnein hisheart a greatjay in the holy Ghoft; a ioy I fay, that is vnlpeakable and glorious: and tliisioy is loftandgone, when thegraces ofGods1pirit aregone: withhowgreat. griefeandwoe, they know,,that in any meaforehatietailed of it.Againe,when the gracesofthe fpirit arechoked tomen, then they haue.noheart todoe good, they haue no affection to goodnefie, but all is gone ; and they are made for the time, as it wereanvnproftable burthenof theearth. What griefecan begreaterthen this? what sorrow can fnke more deeper then chát agood man Mould be eleane withholden from
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