A55752:275
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Well then examine what heat and zeal you have in your actions: so much heat, so much spirit; He shall Baptize you with the spirit and with fire; That is. if you have the sanctifying spirit you shall know it by the zeal that is in you in the performance of holy duties.
Therefore I say it is an excellent sign, whereby a man may know, whether he hath the spirit or no: Now that a man may know by this, I will make it clear by this example. Take a bottle that is full of water, and another that is full of Aqua vitae, look upon them outwardly and they are all of one colour: but if you taste them, the one is ⟨p. 89⟩hot and lively: the other is cold and raw: So look unto the formal outward actions of wicked men, they have the same colour which▪ the actions of holy men: but if you taste them, that is examine their lives, and search into their hearts you shall find a great difference; It may be they may seem to have light and heat in them, but they want this Spirit; for they have neither a loathing of sin nor power to resist sin. They may put a false colour upon their actions but it will not hold, And by this they may restrain lusts for some end; they cannot Master and subdue them: and it may heat a part of his heart, but it cannot heat all his heart: But where the sanctifying Spirit comes, it heats all the soul: That is, it kindles a holy fire in all the faculties to burn up sin that is there. Therefore this was the difference between John the Baptists Baptism and Christs; John could baptize them with water, but Christ with the Spirit and with fire. Therefore examine what heat there is in you against evil, and what zeal there is in you to good: Are you cold in prayer, in conference, in the Communion of Saints? it is a sign that you have not the Spirit: It may be you read, hear, pray and confer•; but see with what heat you do them; is it with you in these things as the Apostle would have you to be in earthly things in the 2 Cor. 7. 30. 31. To sorrow as if you sorrowed not, to use the 1