84 The Saints Spiritual) lrength. neffe is that you have, and how you came by it whether it came by the Gofpell or no, if it did you (hall know it by thefe particulars. Firft, ex amine 'whether ever you were humbled : that is, examine whether by the Preaching of the Law, you have had fuch a fight of finne, that hath bro- ken your hearts ; if thus in the firf} place you carne by ir, it is a figne that it is the true ílrength, for this is the fat worke of the Spirit, when it comes to change the heart of a Chrif'tian, and to make him a New Creature; Firft, throughly to humble him; Secondly, examine whether there bath fol- lowed a comfortable affurance of G.o D s love in C x R r s T, which bath not only wrought ioy and comfort againft the former feare, but alfo a lon- ging defire after Chrif}, and holineffe, therefore if the holineffe that is in you bee throughly wrought, it Both proceed from the Spirit, for this orderly proceeding of the Spirit doth make it manifef}, but as for the naturali ftrength, it hath not fuch a beginning, it is not wholly wrought by the Word, it may be hee hach beene a little humbled and com- forted by the Word, but it is not throughly and foundly wrought by the fame Word : but is a meere habituall firength of nature pickt out of ob- fervations and examples. Againe as the fpiriruall flrength hath a different beginning;, fo it hath a different end : the end of them areas farce (if not further) differing as their beginnings : for as the holineffe that is in a Holy Man , arifeth from a higher Well -head, fo it leads a man to a more no- bler
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