soule moves it s all laid up and lodg'd in this great promise the Spirit of God gives forth all the strength the soule hath Eph 3. the latter end We are strengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man all the strength or might that a poore soule hath in the inward man it s all from the blessed Spirit of God if a soule hath strength to stand up against Satan truly it s from the Spirit of God The Lord shall tread downe Satan under your feete shortly If the Spirit of God withdraw and leave the soule but an houre Satan will tread him downe and trample upon him but if the soule be a conqueror an overcomer it s by the blessed Spirit all the strength we have whereby we are victors over any Corruptions it s by the blessed Spirit is there the mortification the killing of any corruption in our soules its from this Spirit If ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live it s not the worke of our faith it s not in our owne power we may struggle and strive and labour and toile but the least corruption is too strong for the strongest Christian in his owne strength but now the Spirit that mortify's the deeds of the body so have we strength to performe any duty any worke to heare to speake the word of God truly this is not our owne it s of the blessed Spirit for if the Spirit of God doe but leave a poore soule it cannot speake it cannot pray it can doe nothing the strength that acts the people of God it s not from themselves therefore one while they have a heart full of the groanes and breathings of the Spirit and a mouth full of words to spread before God and at another time they have not a groane in their hearts nor a word in their mouths and they may pump and they can bring up nothing this shews the strength of Christians is not from themselves but from the holy Spirit of God therefore a Christian that can at all times command his strength to pray or preach it s to be feared that that is the strength of man and not the strength of God the strength of the creature and not of the Spirit the strength of parts and of old Adam The Lord let 's his Children feele that they have not strength sometimes sometimes they have sometimes they have not that they might live all their whole life onely in dependance upon God what experience had Paul of this I know how to want and I know how to abound and can doe all things but how through Christ that strengtheneth me yet another while Paul could not speake his mouth is shut up therefore pray for me saith Paul to the Saints pray for me that I may have a doore of utterance so we are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing I am nothing saith Paul yet by the grace of God I am that I am all my strength is laid up in the blessed Spirit it s not in my selfe it s the Spirit of God that is our strength so all our strength is laid up in this promise Fifthly All our boldnes to the Throne of grace it s laid up in this promise Can a poore soule goe to God and cry father father Abba father why truly its the Spirit that enables him so to doe Because you are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father and that is the reason why a Saint one time can goe to God and say father father he can speake it out another time he cannot goe and speake out father it is because the Spirit that makes the soule to cry Abba father it s not in the power of the creature but our boldnes with the Father it s the gift of the Spirit of God it s this blessed Spirit of Adoption whereby a man can run to God as a child unto his father Sixthly All our helpe and assistance at the Throne of Grace it s laid up in this promise Wee know not what to pray for Rom 8. as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and the Spirit maketh Intercession for us with groanes which cannot be uttered its truth a child of God doth not know what he should pray for what he should speak or utter to God or what he should most need but the Spirit of God comes helpes our Infirmities our worke in prayer is not to thinke what we should speake but to lay our selves downe before the Spirit Lord come thou by thy Spirit and mannage all our worke for us we are to spread our selves before the Spirit of God and let the Lord come and speake all in us and the Spirit helpeth our Infirmities with groanes not with words the Spirit helpeth a Christian many times when the soule cannot bring out a word the soule is full of groanings groanings that cannot be uttered groanings that have so much in them that they cannot be uttered the soule many times is put by words and is confounded through fulnes for there is by the holy Spirit of God the representation of a multitude of wants together and of a multitude of mercy's together and the soule would faine breath out all to God and he cannot speak them out all but he sends them up all to God in a groane together therefore saith the Apostle It helpeth our Infirmities with groanes that cannot be uttered a poore gratious soule comes and ly's before God and cannot speake a word O but it sends up a groane to God and though it cannot utter one word to God yet it may send up twenty petitions in one groane Seventhly Our speeding at the Throne of Grace our presenting such things there onely as are the will our father it s from this blessed Spirit When we come to pray of our selves we doe but aske our owne Thoughts and spread our owne wills before God but if we could come and lay our selves alway's under the Spirit of God and be willing alway's to be led and guided by the Spirit of God there would come forth alway's the will of God and not the will of the creature He that searches the heart knowes what the mind of the Spirit is because he makes Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God let the Spirit pray and it shall be the will of God though we are poore creatures and doe not know the will of God yet when the holy Spirit comes and draw's forth the heart it speakes out the will of God O therefore let us come and lye downe under the motions of the Spirit and the guidance of the Spirit He that searcheth the heart knowes what the mind of the Spirit is he doth not looke so much what words and what brave expressions and how these things are utter'd but he know's what the mind of his spirit is when God comes and looks upon his Children he doth not hearken
what brave words come out but what the mind of the Spirit is therein the great thing God lookes after is what the Spirit groanes after what the mind of the Spirit is so that all our boldness at the Throne of Grace all our helpe and assistance and our speaking so as to put up such Petitions onely as are the will of God it s all lodg'd up in this blessed promise of the holy Spirit Eightly All our Assurance and Evidence from heaven it s lodg'd up in this promise hath a poore soule any assurance any hope any Evidence O here it s lodg'd the Spirit is our earnest and evidence He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit as the giving one an earnest is an assurance of the bargaine so the Spirit of God is the earnest which assures the Children of God of their glorious Inheritance with the Saints in light The Spirit is called the first fruites the first fruites were the assurance of the harvest 's coming they are the beginnings of the harvest so the Spirit of God in the hearts of Gods children is the first fruits its the seale wherewith the children of God are sealed After ye beleived ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and grieve not the holy Spirit of God wherewith you are sealed to the day of redemption that comes and seales up heaven to them and glory to them the Spirit comes and witnesses to them and with them that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Chidlren of God He saith before Ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father As if he should have said we have not the old Covenant spirit the old Testament spirit the spirit of bondage to feare but the glorious new Covenant spirit which helpes us to goe to God and call him father what can be a more glorious witnesse and evidence to a Christian than this yet this spirit alone cannot beare witnes therefore he saith in the next verse The Spirit it selfe beareth witnes with our spirit that is with this glorious Gospel-new-Testament spirit the Spirit of God himselfe comes and witnesseth with this Gospel-spirit with this spirit of Adoption that we are the Children of God this sweete gospel-Gospel-spirit that is wrought in us it would not witnesse alone but the Spirit of God comes and puts his seale upon it and saith O this is a true worke of mine a true worke of the father in a child so it beares witnes with our spirit Ninthly The being and the Habit of Grace it s laid up in this promise the Spirit of God its the roote and principle of all grace in the Saints those habits of grace within are but the off-spring of the Spirit in the soule Grace it s not a thing naturall a thing that we bring into the world with us but a thing created and begotten now the creating and begetting principle it s the holy Spirit the Spirit it is that doth create and beget all grace were not the Spirit first given there would be no habits of grace in any all grace in the hearts of the Saints it s from this blessed Spirit and therefore it s laid up in this glorious promise Tenthly All the Acting of every grace it s laid up in this promise also the acting of faith and patience and humiliation and all grace as we have not the principle or habit of grace from our selves but from the blessed Spirit so every act of grace it s from the holy Spirit also as the Lord saith of his Vineyard I will keepe it and water it every moment God keepes his Vineyard and waters it too and he waters it every moment or else it would wither and decay so the Lord keepes us and our grace and waters us every moment else we should decay the Spirit of God it is that comes and waters us and waters all our grace though the soyle be never so good the fruite is not brought forth if there be not dropping from heaven upon it so let the soule be good and the plant of grace in the soule yet if the Spirit doe not come and continually drop upon and water our hearts there will be no fruite brought forth every soule therefore that is able to put forth any grace he hath this from the blessed Spirit O what a wretched thing therefore is it that there should be such a thing in the world as the slighting of this blessed Spirit that any man in the world should slight and contemne this blessed Spirit wherein all our grace is and the acting of every grace lyes in it and it s the exceeding greatnes of the power of the Spirit that makes every grace to act looke upon faith in the first acting it s not wrought by us but by an exceeding great power even the same that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead when he lay under all our sinnes and his Fathers wrath it s that power that workes the first acts of faith that exceeding greatnes of power that helps us to beleive and so it is in all other grace and the people of God doe know that their strength is not in themselves nor their growth in themselves I cannot be holy I cannot walke humbly by any strength of my owne I cannot beleive I cannot love the Saints nor love God or the cause of God by any strength of my own I cannot doe it of my selfe all the acting of my grace its from the blessed Spirit of God Eleventhly All those convictions that are wrought in the soule they are from the Spirit of God all the conviction in the soule whether of sin or of righteousnes it is from the Spirit of God If a poore soule come to be convinc't of sin that he is an unbeleiver it s the Spirit of God must convince the world of sin because they beleive not in Christ if a soule come to see all his righteousness nothing whether it lye in the workes of the Law or in the very acts of beleiving that all is nothing it s the Spirit must convince the soule of righteousnes men run from one peice of righteousnes to another from confession of sin to vowes and promises and thence to Reformation and so to higher things but this doth not convince till the Spirit of God come and convinces the soule and then it saith Lord I am nothing I have nothing I can doe nothing I am empty O that thou wouldest come and fill me with thy holines all that can be done by man and the utmost of reason and parts and the utmost demonstration of truth to the eare can never doe this till the Spirit of the Lord come Twelfthly All those hints of truth those remembrances of truth those bringings of the blessed word and promise of Christ to our mind they are all laid up in this
know things by the Spirit of man but by the Spirit of God for the spirit of man will get a great deale of knowledge and let it out againe O that the Spirit of God condemn'd by many in this generation might be honoured by us art thou a poore soule hast thou no strength nor life to duty do'st thou say I come to pray sometimes and would faine have my heart in heaven and keepe my faith up and be full of groanes but I cannot speake a word nor utter a groane but am just like a blocke O come to the Lord and say Good Lord give me of thy blessed Spirit I have sat often and heard in a customary and formall way and so have I pray'd but Lord give me thy Spirit to heare and thy Spirit to pray and thy Spirit to doe all in my soule O then you should finde strength and assistance and helpe and such helpe as the soule cannot Imagine so hast thou not boldnes can'st thou not call God father say now Lord thy Spirit let the Spirit of Adoption come into my heart Lord fill my heart with thy Spirit that I may cry Abba father if thy Spirit come downe into my soule I shall cry father it will helpe my Infirmities and tell me what to say I would goe to God but I know not what to say nor what to lay before God nor what to aske O Lord thy Spirit now to put words into my mouth and thy Spirit to put groanes into my heart so a poore soule that goes about doubting and saith I am undone such and such are happy and blessed they are the Children of God but I shall perish for ever whosoever goes to heaven I shall goe to hell O goe to the Lord and say Lord I cannot see thy seale upon this my affliction good Lord come and give me thy Spirit that earnest of glory and seale my Spirit for glory and witnes by thy Spirit with my spirit that I am thy childe O let every one looke after this every one mind this we are here but a little while we run through the world and little thinke of Eternitie and then at last we cry out O that I had look't after God his Spirit O that I had now the Evidence of the Spirit I have follow'd pride and vanitie and wantonnesse and the world and how I might be rich O that I had now the Spirit of God I would give ten thousand worlds if I had them that I had but the witnesse of the Spirit and the Evidence of the Spirit O Christians doe not mind the great things of God of Religion and of their soules but we have gotten Religion in a forme and as an art like a trade in the world men thinke they do enough if they doe but now then say over a prayer and read one of the Psalmes or the like O you will wish another day O that I had Jesus Christ O that I were sealed with the Spirit of God if you want this the day of Christ will be a bitter day to you so is your heart dry and withering pray to God to come by his Spirit and water you every moment it may be your hearts are a little stirred when you are under a Sermon but you goe away againe and forget all now say soule say to the Lord my conscience is touched now good Lord as I goe out of this place water me and as I goe home water me and all the weeke water me and every moment Lord water me till I come againe there 's need of this beg of the Lord for it and pray to the Lord to give his Spirit for this end for the Spirit of the Lord doth this so hast thou had many sweete promises many times and thou forgettest them cry Lord thy Spirit thy Spirit to bring all these things to my remembrance all the glorious promises O that I might remember them all and that by the holy and blessed Spirit O that day is not farre off that God will come downe with more abundance of this Spirit it will fall upon our hearts O therefore thinke of these things ponder something and goe away with these groanings in your hearts O father give thy Spirit thy Spirit to my poore soule The Lord worke with you I have spent many words but its God that must give you his Spirit looke up for it and if you will helpe all faults heale all divisions cure all distempers in the soule bring the soule to Joy unspeakeable and full of glory get this Spirit it will give such peace to the soule as shall passe all understanding The Lord give more of it to every one of us FINIS The second Sermon ACTS 1.4 Waite for the Promise of the Father THis promise it s no other but the promise of the holy Spirit and our Lord Jesus is pleased to entitle it the Promise of the Father that his Disciples and Children might be as throughly apprehensive of the Fathers willingnes to give forth the Spirit as they were confident of his The last time I shewed you that this promise was a great promise I shall now the Lord assisting goe on and come to the second thing Secondly That the Promise of the Spirit is the great new Testament promise I say the promise of the holy Spirit is the great new Testament promise here are two things to be cleared and proved First That the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise Secondly That its the great new Testament promise First That its a new Testament promise my my meaning is not that its a promise proper and peculiar unto the new Testament Times so as that we are to conceive the people of God that lived under the old Testament Administration had not the Spirit we must not so conceive of the thing for the people of God in the time of the old Testament they had the Spirit Holy men of God saith the Apostle Peter spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and therefore they had the holy Spirit with them and if they had it they had it in a way of promise and therefore it s not a promise so peculiar to the new Testament times as that the Saints of the old Testament had not this promise as well as we nay the Saints and people of God under the old Testament they had that very same Covenant in which this glorious promise of the Spirit is held forth and given that we have the new Covenant it runs downe even from Adam as I may say to the end of all things the new Covenant it runs through all the times of the old Testament and its this Covenant the new Covenant that gives forth the Spirit and they had that Covenant running through all that long time they had therefore the Spirit given forth to them But when I say the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise we are to understand it thus That its a promise that
receive all from God as I am a poore wretched nothing creature This indeed is the very way of the new Testament in which God doth give forth new Testament mercy's to his Children if a soule come to Christ for Justification the way of the new Testament is to give forth this pretious glorious priviledge to him as he is a poore wretched sinner an unworthy one and so if we come to the Lord for the Spirit in the way of the new Testament why it is to come to God as I am a poore miserable sinner without the Spirit having no hope nor any thing in my selfe that I can ground hope upon why God should give forth the Spirit to me This is the way of the new Testament to come to God for all and to expect all from God as I am a poore sinner why now if Saints be unacquainted with the way of the new Testament they may misse of the mercy 's of the new Testament if Saints come to God for the Spirit and bring somewhat of their owne with them as if a man in coming to God for Justification will bring a righteousnesse of his owne to patch with the righteousnesse of Christ the Lord will not give it forth if you doe not come as a poore sinner that hath nothing in himselfe expecting all from the righteousnes of Christ so if I come to God for the Spirit if I thinke to bring somewhat of my owne to bring some good desires and some good breathings with me and thou saist Lord I am so and so I have such and such breathings therefore give me the Spirit why thou art now out of the way of the new Testament and God will not give forth the Spirit if you would have the Spirit you must say Lord thou knowest I have nothing thou knowest that there is not a good thought nor a good desire in me and I bring nothing with me but am a poore wretched sinner and know not what to doe but I lye be-before thee that thou wouldest give forth thy Spirit to me so that Saints they may in new Testament times enjoy but very little of the Spirit if they are cast into the way of the old Testament Fourthly Another ground and Reason of this point why there is so little of the Spirit given forth and this the great new Testament promise it is because Saints are no more in assembling together Saints are not found as I may say as they should be in the worke of Assembling together there was a twofold giving forth of the Spirit to the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Christ did give them the Spirit and that Immediatly at his resurrection he gave them the Spirit and breathed the holy Ghost upon them in some measure to beare up their spirits against the sorrows that were to attend them afterward he gave them the Spirit more fully and at both these times the Spirit was given forth unto them when they were assembled together John 20.22 When the Disciples were assembled together Christ came and breathed on them saying Receive ye the holy Ghost so if you looke into the second of the Acts where you have the more full giving forth of the Spirit you shall finde it was when the Saints were assembled together Acts 2. the beginning of the Chapter Here 's the giving forth of the Spirit in a more full measure to them and it was when they were all with one accord in one place when they were met together Christ might have given it to them one by one when they were alone no but our deare Lord chooseth to give forth the Spirit when they were assembled together that teaches us how much he loves the assembly's of the Saints the Saints meetings together that though he could have given them the Spirit to every one in a corner alone yet he will not doe it but he chooses to give it to them when they are assembled together so that if the Saints neglect their meeting together there may be little enjoyment of the Spirit though it be the great promise of the new Testament Administration So much for the second thing Thirdly Why is the promise of the Spirit the great promise under the new Testament why doth God give this as their great promise First One Reason of it may be this Because God in the new Testament Administration would make an advance a step neerer as I may say to heavenly perfection and glory than the former administration was God all along hath been making an advance ever since man fell God hath been making an advance carrying him up step by step now the more of the Spirit is given forth or the more of the Spirit is in any dispensation the greater the advance is for its the Spirit that makes the advance in the hearts of Gods Children now because the Lord under the new Testament Administration would make an advance he would raise the hearts of his Saints nearer to heaven and glory than they were before therefore he gives forth more of the Spirit and he doth hold forth the promise of the Spirit as the great promise and indeed in the Administration that is to come upon this account in that of the new Jerusalem there shall not be lesse but there shall be more of the Spirit for if there should be lesse there could not be an advance there shall be the personall presence of Christ and more of his Spirit too if we did looke upon it onely as an outward thing then it might well be called as some call it a carnall thing but there shall be more of the Spirit of God given forth in that day there shall be an advance in the Saints upon this account Secondly The Lord gives forth the Spirit as the great new Testament promise Because new Testament Saints they are Sons This is the reason the Apostle Paul gives Gal 4.6 Because yee are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit into your hearts crying Abba father the father expects from a Son a growne Son that he should carry himselfe better than a child he doth expect from his Son that he should know how to governe himselfe and to order things better than a servant why now new Testament Saints are Sons and the Lord doth expect under the new Testament that there should be a better carriage that there should be more holines that they should know how to governe themselves in another manner of way than the people of God under the old Testament Now to the end that Saints might be able to governe themselves in another manner of way its needfull they should have more wisdome and grace given forth to them and that they may have it God gives forth more of the Spirit Because ye are Sons therefore he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son therefore he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Thirdly Because God doth expect more worke from new Testament Saints This follow 's upon the
duty 's that God lookes at but that that God lookes at is the spiritualnes of the duty what shall I find of my spirit in that duty what shall I find of my spirit in that prayer what shall I find of my spirit in that word spoken what shall I find of my spirit in that soule God lookes at the spiritualnes of the duty and performance men may pray houres together and twenty times a day and yet not all this so acceptable to God as a poore broken expression and groane of another poore soule may be and truly you shall find God will not Judge as they doe if there be much of the Spirit if it be in poore broken expressions it s more acceptable unto God than a multitude of words and there be not much of the Spirit Conscience will not let men alone but they must pray but doe you looke if you have the Spirit in a duty for this God lookes at there are many that like to the rich men that cast into the treasury they are able to offer up abundance as to the bulke the outward part the outside of a duty and the abundance of their parts and gifts O but many a poore gratious soule that hath not those parts and gifts and abilities and cannot speake twenty words together so handsomely as some it may be can speake houres together yet this mans prayer may be more pretious in the account of God than all that the other doth many a soule can cast in much yet its little with God and many a soule cast's in little as to the outward appearance yet it s much with God as all the gifts of the rich men were little with Christ yet the two mites of the widdow it was much with him O that we might not looke so much unto the outward building as to what there is of the Spirit of God How spirituall was that holy man Paul in prayer what spirituall Petitions what spirituall groanes did he offer up he could never know when he had enough he must have all he must be filled with all the fulnes of God he must comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth and must know the love of God which passeth knowledge all his prayers run in such a high way as one that never could know when he had enough then we are acceptable when all that we doe is fill'd with the Spirit Secondly As its good to have our prayers so fill'd with the breath of the Spirit so in our discourses we should be more spirituall the discourses of good people they are too empty there 's too little of the Spirit in them there are young Christians many men and women can tell when the Lord first wrought upon their hearts they could not endure to come into that company that would not discourse of that which was good and they cared not to heare of any thing but God and Christ and heavenly things but now they have been a great while in the Schoole of Christ they can goe a great while together and have no conference of spirituall and heavenly things I remember thy kindness saith God in the dayes of thy youth youthfull times were loving times then their hearts were warmed and then they were full of good speeches and discourses but now Saints can go up down meet one another and speak of nothing but about their trade c. We are lesse spirituall in our discourses whereas we should be more The two Disciples were in good discourse and as they were so Imployed Christ came to them by the way and made their hearts to burne within them so it is with Saints now when Christ comes and meetes his Children in spirituall discourses he warmes their hearts in a spirituall way yea Christ himselfe left us a patterne of this for it is said of him that after his resurrection he continued forty dayes speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdome of God the verse before the Text This was the discourse of Christ about the things of the kingdome about things appertaining to the kingdome of God and if we were risen with Christ we should delight to speake of the things of the kingdome of God but it s too little in our hearts Thirdly We should be more spirituall in all our Meditations It is reported of that holy Martyr of Christ Mr John Bradford that he was so spirituall and heavenly in his Meditations that ordinarily as he was at meate the Teares would Trickle off his cheekes upon the Table so if we would be spirituall in our thoughts and duty 's we must be spirituall in our Meditations a man that hath not spirituall Meditations will not be spirituall in any thing else for Meditation it feeds the soule with strength and life and the more spirituall a soule is in Meditation the more spirituall will it be in other things Fourthly We should be more spirituall in all our Conversation How spirituall was Pauls conversation Our Conversation is in heaven how few are there of us whose conversations are like his Take most men in the world and their conversation is in hell or the world one of the two either they are prophane and so their conversation is in hell or they are onely Civill or if more yet they are Covetous worldly carnall c. and so their conversation is in the world few there are that have heaven written upon their conversation heaven written upoÌ„ their thoughts words and actions c. Vse 4. If the promise of the Spirit be the great promise of the new Testament Let every soule take heed of under-vaâ—uing the blessed Spirit of God If it be the great promise of the Gospel it s a great sin to under-value him as in the old Testament those that would not believe the great promise of the Messiah were to be accursed as Pagans and Heathens so in the new Testament he that shall speake slightly of this great and glorious Promise of the Spirit is not a Christian but a Pagan a Heathen if he can speake slightly of the great promise of the new Testament he doth under-value it take heed of under-valuing this great promise of the Spirit men doe undervalue the Spirit divers way's First When indeed they have but a low Esteeme of the Spirit of God When a man hath a low esteeme of a thing that is of great worth then he under-values that thing so when a man hath a low esteeme of the Spirit of God he under-values the Spirit of God Secondly Men under-value the Spirit of God when they doe not cry unto God for his Spirit when a thing of wonderfull worth and excellency may be had for asking for and men will not aske for it it s an under-valuing of it saith Christ My father will give the holy Spirit to them that aske him Luk. 11.13 If your earthly fathers know how to give good things to their children that aske them
the Lord of Hosts Sin shall be ashamed to appear When the Apostles Preached such a light there was of Gods glory that some sins were ashamed to appear in day time as Drunkennesse 1 Thess 5.7 They that be drunken are drunken in the night 2 He will so discover the glory of his owne greatnesse and Majesty that all other dignities shall be in a manner nothing As though you set up ten thousand Candles yet when the Sun ariseth the light of them all is nothing The Suns of the world shall have their light put out by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse 3 He will so discover the glory of his owne power as shall destroy the Idoll-strength his Arm shall appear to be all in all Men shall visibly see that not Creatures strength but Gods Arme is al See how they shall sing then Isa 12.1 2. And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wastâ—angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jebovah is my strength and my Song he also is become my Salvation God is my salvation Now men cry such a valiant man such valiant men have saved us but then the Song will be God alone is our Salvation 4 He will so discover his wisedome as shall wholly destroy Idoll Pollicy Men shall see Gods wisedome so visibly in discovering Plots c. as that they shall see all wisedome of man to be folly 5 He will so powre out of his Spirit as shall utterly abolish parts learning and all those things as they are an Idoll He will powre out of his Spirit upon the Sons and daughters of Sion that they shall thereby be more filled with truth and more able to utter the great things of God than all the Schollars of the world 2 By shaking all Idolls Vers 21. When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth He will terribly shake whatsoever hath been or is an Idoll whether honour or strength or parts or grace And how hath God been shaking all these amongst us How hath he shaken the honour of the world pluckt off Crownes from the heads of Princes and throwne Nobles out of their seats How hath he been shaking strength broken in a wonderfull way Armies by Land Navies by Sea How hath he shaken mens parts and wisedome brought wise men and learned men who made an Idoll of their learning and wisedome to so low an ebb in respect of esteem as they never were and just it is and they shall yet be brought lower till they learne to give God the glory Yea how hath he shaken grace and how many men of grace are fallen that we might learne indeed to cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrills Vse 〈◊〉 Is it so that God will abolish all â—dolls Then learne this That a day will be how much soever men now cry up their Idolls that they shall be ashamed to owne them Isa 1.29 For they shall be ashamed of the Oakes which yee have desired and ye shall be confounded for the gardens yee have chosen Men shall be in this day ashamed to cry up worldly greatnesse strength pollicy parts as now they doe They may have a love in their hearts to these things as Idolls still but shall be ashamed to owne them in the way they now doe Read vers 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idolls of silver and his Idolls of gold which they made each one for himselfe to worship to the Moles and to the Batts 2 Is it so Then let us take heed we doe not in this day set up Idolls To set up Idolls in this day God is pulling them downe makes the offence double We have seen the Lord powring contempt upon many Idolls already and he is now punishing us with the Idolls we have set up let us not goe about to set up more O let us take heed of spirituall Idolls the great Promise of the New Covenant is Cleansing from Idolls Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and yee shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your Idells will I cleanse you Plead it with God 3 Is it so Then learne this There shall be a day in which Saints shall have hearts to exalt God onely The wretched Idoll selfe shall be utterly abolished This is a good day 4 Is it so Then Saints seeing such a day shall come Let us labour for a spirit sit for this day when it comes Two things will work such a spirit in us 1 A Mortified heart to a mans owne things being dead to our honour wisedome parts c. 2 An enlivened heart to the things of God and his glory And O! that this Spirit were in us that the glory of our father could be more to us then all the world See those blessed ones Revel 5. they cry out with a loud voyce Worthy is the Lamb that was staine to receive power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing We too often cry out our owne worthinesse with a loud voyce but they the Lambs power is the Lambs glory honour wisedome and blessing is the Lambs FINIS A TABLE OF The Chief Heads of the preceding SERMONS I. The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Convenant In one Sermon on Jerem. 33.20 21. Preached at Ham. THE Text opened Page 1 2 Qu What that Covenant is that was made with David Answered Page 3 Doct That the Kingdome or visible Kingdome of Christ is founded on the New Covenant proved 1 From the first striking up of the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son Page 4 5 6 Qu What are we to understand by Gods dividing to Christ a Portion with the great and the Spoyle with the strong Page 7 8 9 10 2 From the Promulgation of the Covenant Page 11 Who are the Seed of the Woman and what it is to break the head of the Serpent Page 11 12 3 From the Renovation of the Covneant Page 15 It was renewed with Abrâ—ham Page 16 What it is for Christ to possesse the Gate of his Enemies Page 17 It was renewed with David Page 21 Qu How doth it appear that this is the new Covenant Page 22 4 From the work it selfe where the work doth begin to rise in the world c. Page 25 Vse 1. Let men or Satan doe what they can for the crushing and keeping down such a thing yet a day there is when it will come forth and that in the spight of all the power of men and hell Page 29 2 The unworthinesse of the Saints it cannot it shall not hinder or deprive them of this mercy Page 30 3 It ought not to be strange to us if we should see a death upon this work when it seems to he coming forth Page 36 4 We should waite upon God patiently for the bringing of it forth
against me And seeing the Lord hath given me an opportunity to testifie the truth for the Cause sake wherein I suffer and which the Author of these Sermons did own to his death I hope no inconvenience can arise from this brief Apology thus briefly represented to the little Remnant of the Womans Seed who in these dayes of Hypocrisie and Apostacy keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ One word to my Fellow-prisoners in this glorious Cause from the Word of the Lord and it is a part of those glad tydings which they through Grace may bee abundantly refreshed in the remembrance of as I have been in this long time of Oppression THERE REMAINETH A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. A Sabbatisme so the Word is an holy solemn Rest and it hath reference to the World to come even the state of the Saints in the Thousand years This hath been in all Ages good news to so many as being pilgrims and strangers for the Lords sake in this present evil world have been alwayes hated reproached oppressed persecuted tormented slaughtered by the four great cruel wild Beasts Dan. 7. Oh what a voluminous Martyrology would that be which can comprehend all the cruelties bloody Massacres and despiteful dealings with the Saints of the most High which have been perpetrated upon this earth since Cain slew his brother Abel which can exemplifie in punctual narrations of truth all the Methods Stratagems Pretences and Policies which Persecutors have and will make use of for the suppressing of that spirit which with boldness doth justly contradict them in their wickedness and Abominations It s not a work for a finite creature to undertake none are sufficient Historiographers of these things but the Three who bear Record in Heaven where there is a Book of Remembrance written for those which feared Jehovah and thought upon his Name in their Generations Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God and our Father how sweet is his presence in a prison to his suffering servants Moses esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the treasures of Egypt And wee from the overflowings of Divine Love have such glorious Incombs that we would not exchange the least of them for all the gold and silver which is coming from the West-Indies to the New Court. As the noble Marquess Galeacius Caracciolus when Golden Temptations were presented Let their money perish with them saith he who account all the gold in the world worth one dayes communion with Jesus Christ in the holy Spirit Dear Brethren in Bonds for the Lords sake How is it with you Have you cheerful lively spirits Do you live in the sense of the love of God shed abroad in your hearts by the holy Spirit which is given to you Doth your faith grow exceedingly Doth your love and zeal abound more and more for the Lord Jesus and his Interest What ripeness and readiness of spirit soul and body do you find to arise to come forth and to march in the honorable Expeditions of the Lamb against the Beast Are you prepared to follow the Lord fully Oh let us for I desire to be of that number let us never give the Lord rest till he burn with fire that Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth together with all her Daughters and until Jerusalem the New Jerusalem be established the praise of all the Earth We cannot but wait and hope till the Spirit cloath 〈◊〉 as it did Amazia 1 Chron. 12.18 that we may speak saying in a mystery Thine are we David and on thy side thou Root of Jessai peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine Helpers for thy God helpeth thee And I make no Question but â—re it be long there will be a coming to our David day by day to help him untill it become a great Host like the Host of God and so to turn the Kingdom of Saul unto him whose right it is according to the word of the Lord. For do the Kings of the Earth at home or abroad think of setling and establishment at this time of the day Alas poor creatures their glass is almost run out The God of Heaven is numbring their Kingdoms and finishing them The God of Heaven is weighing the new and old Tyranical Monarchies and will find them too light The God of Heaven will work Divisions in their Kingdomes and will give them all to his Son and his Saints It is true their ghostly Fathers and their Court-Chaplines do put this evil day afar off and perswade their Majesties their Highnesses and their Excellencies c. that we are possessed with on evil spirit of Sedition and Emnity against Government but we dare say to our Father who sees in secret and tryes the reins that they Lye and speak not the truth for he knows who knows all things that the desire of our souls is to be under the best Government that ever was or will bee in the world We confess we groan to be delivered from that Bondage which we are in under the Tyrants of the world we would not have the Beast nor any of his Horns to exercise such cruel domination over us as in time past because we had a little reviving from our former yokes by the out-stretched Arm of the Almighty and it was sweet unto us and we long for a full possession wherefore let us oh let us beleeve and the Lord increase our faith that we shall take them captives whose captives we are and we shal rule over our oppressors We shall meet and magnifie the Lord together and those followers of the Lamb who have prayed and wrestled in prayer for us and for the present it will be of use to look into those good works and comfortable words which this servant of the Lord who lived and dyed in the testimony of this truth doth spread before you who purposed to visit you and to incourage your hearts and to strengthen your hands in God yea and to be refreshed by you I mean you who are removed far off and thrust into holes and corners contrary to All Rules of Righteousness But though he purposed Jehovah preverted who doth all things according to the counsel of his own will and it becomes us who remain alive and have through grace received a Kingdom which cannot be shaken to serve the Lord in our Generation acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And now oh that those precious truths handled by him might through the blessing of the Almighty become spiritual nourishment to us in our captivity The first Kingdom is founded upon the New Covenant Christ Jesus is the onely foundation c. It is good we shouldbe put in remembrance of these things though we do know them and are through the rich supply of the spirit in some measure established in the present truth I might inlarge but I shall not detain you nor the other Readers any longer but
barke the outside of the Oake hereby he may get as well some sap from Christ whilst he thus hangs upon him in an outward way as may somewhat helpe to make him greene keeping life in him for a time as doth the sap he hath from his owne roote and hereby his life is partly from his owne roote which affords him so much sap as gives him strength to cling to this living Oake and partly from that sap which by clinging to Christ in an outward way he draw's from him Yet because this soule hath not Christ for his roote but what nourishment he getts from him is onely in an outward way by an outward cleaving to him clinging about him to which he is assisted and enabled by that strength that is afforded him from his owne roote the old Adarâ— Hence it comes to passe that at one time or other this cleaving soule which receives not his strength life nourishment from Christ by vertue of a reall union with Christ as his roote but by vertue of an outward cleaving and sucking from Christ doth dye and wither therefore I say a difference there is betwixt clinging to Christ and thereby sucking for a time some sap from him and union clinging is not union neither is the coming of sap that way the same with that sâ—p that comes by vertue of the union of the Tree the sap the Ivie getts is forced from the Oake into it selfe by clinging about it and violent sucking but now the sap that comes from the roote into the Tree that ascends in a naturall way So where union is with Christ as the roote the soules feeles the sap its strength holines c. flowing into it from Christ in a secret yet wonderfull naturall way so that it flow's into it without the soules striving and struggling to force this sap to its selfe but it comes in a naturall way it flow's up secretly and in a manner indiscernably into it the soule begins to feele it selfe full of sap but knowes not how it was filled hardly now this being come into it then it causeth this soule to put forth dayly new branches leaves buds and fruit but where it is otherwise though sap may be had from Christ yet it is but a forced thing a thing extorted by outward clinging and as the Ivie when it s owne roote doth not afford it sufficient sap to make it cling to the Oakes dyes so this soule when it s owne strength the strength received from old Adam by which it clings to Christ in an outward way shall faile it that it can cling no longer it will dye and wither notwithstanding for some time whilst its owne strength served it to cling close it did receive a kinde of life and nourishment from him FINIS The Promise of the Father ACTS 1.4 Waite for the Promise of the Father The whole verse runs thus And being Assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but waite for the promise of the Father which saith he you have heard of me WHat promise is this which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when he is now ascending into heaven doth give a strict and speciall command to his Disciples to looke at and waite for calling and entitling it The promise of the Father To that I answer This promise is no other but the promise of the holy Spirit and that is cleare from the following words which saith he yee have beard of me This promise of the Father that they were now commanded to waite for it was that promise that Christ had been minding them of sometime before Waite for the promise of the Father which yee have heard of me which I told you of and minded you of before now what was that promise that Christ had been minding of his Children of againe and againe not long before this time If we looke into Johns Gospel we shall finde that the promise of the Spirit Christ did againe and againe pitch the faith of his Disciples upon and that Immediatly before his death before he was taken from them John 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you And ver 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy-Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you So againe Chapter 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me So againe Chapter 16.7 8 9.10 verses Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and when he comes he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgement Of sin because they beleive not on me of righteousness because I goe to my Father and yee see me no more Yea this is cleare in the verse following our Text For John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy-Ghost not many dayes hence So that that great promise which Christ had been minding his Children of a little before which he points at here which saith he yee have heard of me it was the promise of the Spirit and it was not the Spirit in that speciall way of working in glorious miracles and interpreting of Tongues and the like but indeed it was the promise of the Spirit in generall for he referr's to that promise of the Spirit which they had heard of him which was as a Comforter as the leader and guider into all truth as a Testifier of the Love of Christ to the soule as a bringer to remembrance of whatsoever Christ had said unto them as a glorifier of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his Children he shall glorifie me so that it lookes to the promise of the Spirit in generall when Christ saith it s that yee have heard of me Quest 1. But why doth Christ call it the promise of the Father doth not Jesus Christ himselfe promise the Spirit doth not Christ say I will send you another Comforter is it not the promise of Jesus Christ himselfe as well as of the Father why doth he then call it the promise of the Father Ans 〈◊〉 Because Christ himselfe as Mediator hath the promise of the Spirit from the Father Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soule delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him c. And it s fulfilled to Christ Isai 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me saith Christ for he hath anointed me to preach
good Tidings c. Jesus Christ himselfe as he stood in our stead doing our worke and acting in our nature so he did receive the promise of the Father himselfe the Spirit and therefore it s called the promise of the Father Secondly In respect of the Antiquitie of it Because the Father had promised it long before this time so it s the promise of the Father Christ had promised the Spirit to his but it was lately and so it was a new promise not many dayes old made but a little before his death but the promise as it was the Fathers promise so it was antient made many hundred yeares before though now to be fulfilled for the Time of the old Testament was the time of the Fathers administration now in this time there were many promises of the Spirit to be afterwards fulfilled as in Joel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward that I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your danghters shall Prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions Zach 12.10 And I will powre out upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of Grace and of supplications and they shall looâ—e upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely Son and shall be in bitternes for him as one that is in bitternes for his first-borne And therefore this promise as it was the Fathers so it was antient and for the Antiquitie of this promise because it was most antiently the Fathers therefore it may be called the promise of the Father Thirdly It 's the promise of the Father because of the times and seasons of the giving out of this promise for the times and seasons are in the hands of the Father so Christ tells his Disciples in this Chapter But the Father hath kept them in his owne power Fourthly The maine reason is That hereby Christ might strengthen and confirme the faith of his Disciples and Children in waiting for this premise we have need of all that can be to strengthen our faith and therefore Christ calls it the promise of the Father the Disciples might conceive ô is the Father willing we should have the Spirit we know how willing Christ is he hath said he will send us a Comforter we are sure we shall want nothing that Christ can doe for us but is the Fathers heart as free to give out the Spirit when Christ comes to heaven will not the Father hinder it Christ therefore entitles it rather the promise of the Father than his owne as if he should have said doe not thinke poore soules that my Father is unwilling to give out his Spirit that he is an Enemy to your peace comfort Joy or the coming of the Spirit of grace no the Fathers heart is as full and as free as you can conceive mine to be for its the promise of the Father Quest 2. But why doth Christ pitch the faith of his Disciples now at the time of his ascension upon this promise rather than upon any other could he not bid them as well to waite for some other promise as for this Ans 1. Because there was no promise so suitable unto the state and condition that the people of Christ the Disciples of Christ his followers were now come into as this promise no promise is so suitable to a poore soule in the time of Christs absence as the promise of the Spirit Christ had been personally present with his Disciples some time and he had comforted cheered warm'd and quickened them and when his personall presence was to leave them no promise could be so sweete comfortable and acceptable to answer their condition as this promise of the Spirit therefore Christ gives them this promise as most suiting them if any thing could hold them up against the rage of the world and the malice of the Devill now in his absence it would be the promise of the Father therefore it was the most suitable promise Secondly Because this promise it was now in the very nicke of fulfilling The promise was antient but now the very time of fulfilling of it was at hand the time of giving out of more abundance of the Spirit was drawing on now it s the way of God with his Children when the promise is upon the nick of fulfilling then will God be putting on his Children in a more especiall manner to be waiting and seeking and looking up to him even for the fulfilling of that promise Therefore when the seventy yeares Captivity in Babylon was run out then God stirr'd up the heart of Daniel and he falls downe before God and prayes and urges the promise and beleives when the time was even expired when God comes to give forth his promise when the fulfilling time is come then God puts his people upon waiting for it So afterwards when Jerusalem was to be built when the time of fulfilling was come then the Lord wonderfully stirr's up the heart of Nehemiah and he falls downe before the Lord crying O that Jerusalem might be no more a Citty without walls and indeed it s a great argument though not a demonstration to convince men yet its such an argument as carry's much weight in it to the hearts of the Children of God when they are put on in a more speciall manner to waite upon God for the fulfilling of this or that particular promise for the doing of this or that particular worke though the times and seasons are many times hid to us yet they are in the Fathers power and they are all knowne to him and when they draw nigh God doth usually make that worke to run over the heart of his Children and sets them a praying and seeking and beleiving and waiting for that worke and it may be they can hardly tell how it comes to passe that they are so put upon it but it comes from a secret way of Gods dispensation towards his Children when God sees that the worke is ripe and the thing is heare at hand that it may come when his Children are in a waiting posture he will forerun it over the hearts of his Children ere he bring it visibly forth before the world But though this be a real truth yet I doe not take it to be the speciall reason here why Christ doth put them to looke for the fulfilling of this promise rather than any other but the chiefe reason I take to be this Thirdly Because the promise of the Spirit it s the great promise that the Saints and peaple of God in the new Testament dayes are to have their eye fixed upon and are to be found waiting upon God continually for the giving of it forth it s that great promise the Saints are to be looking up to the Father for in the new Testament Times under the old Testament the Saints had a great bundle of promises but there was one great
and leading promise that stood out before all the other promises and that was the coming of the Messiah and unto this promise all the Types shaddowes Ceremonies and services of the Law did looke they ran into this promise so the Saints and people of God in the times of the new Testament have a great and leading promise also but this great promise of the old Testament is no promise to them for it s accomplished Christ hath come and dyed and is risen againe and we looke not for him to come and dye any more to satisfie his Fathers Justice but now there is I say a great and leading promise in the new Testament which the Saints fix their eye upon above all other promises and that is the promise of the Spirit as the Saints under the old Testament look't cheifely to this promise of the Messiah O when will our Messiah come when will the Redeemer come when will Christ come why so the Saints under the new Testament have this as their great expectatior O when will the Spirit come when will the Spirit come down more into our hearts O when shall we be more fill'd with the Spirit and be enabled to walke in the Spirit and to live in the Spirit and have all our teaching from the Spirit and all our strength and life and whatsoever we have from the Spirit this is that that the Saints should have their eye fixed upon under the new Testament and so the Observation at this time shall be this Obser That the promise of the Spirit is the great New Testament promise it 's the great promise that the Children of God in the times of the new Testament are to be looking up to God for the fulfilling and accomplishing of In the prosecution of which point I shall follow this Method all moulds and methods they are but things wherein we are to seeke the edification one of another First I shall shew you That the promise of the Spirit is a great promise Secondly That its the great New Testament â—romise Thirdly Why the Lord held forth his Spirit to his Children as the great promise why he would have them looke more upon that promise than upon any other promise Fourthly I shall apply this blessed truth to our hearts First The promise of the Spirit it 's a great promise a very great promise so it is First If we doe consider The thing promised the gift given by vertue of this promise What can be a greater gift than for God by promise to give himselfe to a poore soule for the Father and Son to give themselves to a poore soule Now the promise of the Spirit it 's the gift of God himselfe the promise of God himselfe we have God giving himselfe by promise the Father giving himselfe and the Son giving himselfe for these three are one where the Spirit is given all are given and where the Spirit comes and dwells there 's the dwelling of the whose the Father Son and Spirit all the blessed Trinity now what a wonderfull gift is here is it not a great promise then Secondly It 's a great promise If we consider the Promise-Maker wee make account of the promises of great men this is a promise made by the greatest in Heaven and earth the Father and the Son are the greatest My sheepe saith Christ heare my voice and I give unto them Eternall life and none shall plucke them out of my Fathers hand and my Father saith he is greater than I Here are the two greatest in heaven the Father and the Son and they make this promise the Spirit proceedeth from both as the gift of either the Father promiseth it and therefore it 's called in the Text the promise of the Father the Son promiseth it John 16.7 Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Thirdly It 's a great promise If we looke to the way or meanes of conveying this promise to the soule The greater and more difficult meanes a man must use to fulfill some promise made to us the greater and higher account we have of his promise the worth of a mercy may sometimes be measured by the meanes through which it is brought about Now doe but looke at the difficulty's this promise comes thorough It comes upon the account of Christs Intercession for it in heaven I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter before this promise can come forth in the fulnes and glory of it Christ must strip himselfe of his glory come downe from heaven to earth be made a reproach dye a cursed death and after this goe up to heaven againe and there pray and plead and all before this promise can be given forth so that it 's a promise that comes through all Christ's doings and sufferings and Intercessions before it can be given out in the fulnes and glory of it I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter It 's therefore a great promise Fourthly It 's a great promise If we doe but consider The great things that are laid up in this promise First All our spirituall peace and comfort is laid up in this promise all that inward Joy and peace comfort that a poore soule hath it 's all lodg'd up in this blessed promise hence the Spirit is call'd the Comforter because all our comfort if it be true it comes from him there 's a Joy which men have for a season as that of the Stony ground which men may have by the common working 's of the Spirit but it 's not that comfort and Joy which the Spirit workes in the hearts of the Saints in a speciall way as the comforter all the true Joy and comfort that Saints have they have it in and from this promise hath a soule comfort in a way of sence from the sencible feeling of the gifts and graces and operations of the Spirit of God in his heart This comfort if it be right it comes from the Spirit and so it 's laid up in this promise It 's the Spirit of God that must come and worke in us and that must discover his own workings in us that must worke our grace and make us to feele our grace and make us to know that that which we feele it is grace for if the Spirit of God doe not come in and beare witnesse to what we feele there will be no true comfort that we can have that way have we comfort in a way of faith in hanging upon the generall promise A poore soule finds nothing all is dry and dead and all comfort he had formerly in duty 's and ordinances is gone now he lookes up to the promise and draw's in comfort from God altogether in a way of faith when all is dead within This comfort of faith is also from the Spirit
doth in a more especiall manner relate to the new Testament Times though it was a promise that had a fulfilling even in old Testament times yet it hath in a more especiall manner a fulfilling to the Saints in new Testament Times the people of God in the times of the old Testament they had the Spirit but they had the Spirit as I may so say in the beginning or in the dropping of it but now the people of God in the new Testament Times they have the powring of it forth looke to the promise of the Spirit in new Testament Times and the promise runs to the powring it forth that is more abundance of it the people of God in the times of the old Testament they had the promise of the Spirit but they had not this promise as their great promise for as I told you the last day they had another promise which was their great promise they had the promise of the Messiah as their great promise but now the people of God under the new Testament Administration they have the promise of the Spirit as their great promise they have not onely the promise of the Spirit but they have it as the greatest promise of all other made to them under that administration Now these things being premised which I thought meete to doe that there might not be a mistake and that none might exclude the people of God of old from the Spirit I shall shew you That the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise and this will appeare from two things First All those severall promises that we find in the old Testament of the more full giving forth and powring out of the blessed Spirit did not relate to those times but to the new Testament Times for their fulfilling I shall shew you this in two or three places In Ezek 36 27. among many pretious promises of the new Covenant this is one I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my Judgements and doe them but to what time doth this more especially relate why it doth relate as you may see if you looke into the foregoing verses unto the time when God will gather together his Antients the Jewes out of all Country's vers 24. For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all Country's and will bring you into your owne land it doth in a more especiall manner looke to the time of the Jewes coming in for the compleate fulfilling and accomplishing of this promise then will it most evidently be seene that the Spirit of God is the guider and leader and teacher of his Children then will the promise of the Spirit in the fulfilling of it be more visible And so likewise in Joel 2.28 29 verses And it shall come to passe afterward that I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall Prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I powre out my Spirit To what time doth this relate Compare the second of the Acts and you shall there find that Peter tells us now is this word fulfilled in your eares Acts 2.16 17 verses But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to passe in the last dayes saith God I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh c The fulfilling of it is under the new Testament Administration and truly though that in the first powering out of the Spirit there was a glorious fulfilling of it in part yet I take it the compleate fulfilling of it and that which is specially aymed at in the Prophet Joel doth relate not to the first but to the last of the new Testament times for Joel speakes of those times when he shall bring againe the Captivity of Jacob and Jerusalem and Joel speakes of a more universall powring out of the Spirit upon Gods sons and daughters than was before so as that at the beginning of the new Testament times there was a fulfilling of that promise in part yet it hath in a more speciall manner a looke to the last times in which the people of God upon the account of this new Testament promise may waite for the promise of the Father and expect more of the blessed Spirit to be given forth to them to be powred out upon them So likewise Zach 12.10 And I will powre upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne c. But when is this why it is if you looke into the 14 Chapter in a time when all nations shall be gathered against Jerusalem and when God will destroy all nations that shall come against Jerusalem and in that day when there shall be great mourning among the Jewes upon their coming in in that day this blessed promise will have a glorious fulfilling all those pretious promises of the powring forth of the Spirit that we read of in the old Testament they looke to the new Testament times Secondly That this is a new Testament promise doth appeare from the words of Christ himself If you look into John 7.38 39. He that beleiveth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living water But this spake he of the Spirit which they that beleive on him should receive for the holy Ghost was not given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Observe the giving forth of the Spirit is made a consequent of Christs glorification of Christs being glorified at the right hand of the Father and therefore the more full giving forth of the Spirit it s a promise to the new Testament times But then Secondly How doth it appeare that this is the great new Testament promise the promise of the Spirit is a new Testament promise Gods people in new Testament times they looke for it but how doth it appeare this is the great promise to be of all other promises the greatest under this dispensation I Answer There are three great promises that we have in the booke of God three promises that may be called the greatest of all first there 's the promise of Christs first coming Secondly There 's the promise of the coming of the Spirit and then Thirdly There 's the promise of Christs second coming These are as I may say the greatest promises that we have in all the booke of God The promise of Christs first coming that was a promise that did belong to the old Testament Administration as I shewed you the last day The glorious promise of Christs second coming that is to have its fulfilling and accomplishment in the time of the new Jerusalem that the people of God doe hope and waite for which coming of Christs personall appearance his
how much more shall your heavenly father give his Spirit to them that aske him Thirdly Men under-value the Spirit when they would set-up any thing equall with or above the Spirit when then cry up learning parts gifts or any other thing more than the Spirit this is an undervaluing of the Spirit though these things be good in their place and the best parts of pure nature yet they are not the Spirit and if we goe to set up any of these things with the Spirit we doe exceedingly under-value the Spirit of God The reason why the Lord is casting contempt upon learning and parts in our day's it s because men set them up equall with the Spirit looking upon these things as fitting them for the worke of God and not looking for the Spirit Fourthly Men under-value the holy Spirit of God when they dispise the little ones of Christ in whem the Spirit of the Father dwells When I love one Saint that hath the Spirit because of his greatnes he goes in silke and sattin and is honorable and therefore I love him and dispise another Saint that hath the Spirit because of his meannesse he goes in his leather-coate there 's little love to such a one now when Saints dispise meane ones in whom the Spirit of the father dwells there 's an under-valuing of the Spirit If any dispise one of these little ones it were better for a milstone to be hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the midst of the Sea why because there 's a dispising of the Spirit of the father that dwells in them every poore little and contemptible one of Christ's though never so poore in the world we must love them for if I desire to prize a Saint because of the Spirit in him then I shall prize the meanest Saint as well as the greatest Fifthly Men under-value the Spirit when they stop their eares against the Motions and Instructions of it if a man instruct me advise me or counsell me for my good I will not hearken to him but slight what he saith I undervalue the man in undervaluing his Counsell so we undervalue the spirit when we slight and will not hearken to the motions and dictates of the Spirit Sixthly Men undervalue the Spirit when they speak slightly and contemptuously of it when they jeare at the people of God saying You have the Spirit forsooth aye such a one prayes speaks by the Spirit c. Men know not what they say when they speak thus such slight words of the Spirit argues an undervaluing thereof If you did know the worth of the Spirit you would not speak thus Lastly Men undervalue the Spirit when in a a down-right way they persecute the Spirit when they hate a Saint and persecute a Saint for no other reason in the world that they can give but because he is a Saint and hath the Spirit in him O take heed of undervaluing the Spirit Last Vse Is the Promise of the Spirit the great Gospel Promise Then hence let us learne the duty in the Text to waite upon God for the Spirit Promises are to be waited for this is the great Gospel Promise this Promise of the Spirit here is not so much the Promise of the having of the Spirit for that many old Testament Saints had and the Disciples had before this time that Christ bids them waite for the Promise as the having more of it When ever you come to an Ordinance when you come to the Assemblies of the Saints say O Lord now give downe thy Spirit why may not thy Spirit be given downe to me now Thou did'st give downe thy Spirit formerly when the Saints were met together So waite in every duty for the Spirit to come downe be alwayes waiting for this Promise of the Spirit it 's an every-day Promise for though it be fullfilled in part yet there is more and more of it still to be given forth and will be every day till we come to heaven so as that there is no time in which we can say this Promise is so fullfilled to us as that we need no more to waite for the fullfilling of it There are some Promises have the time of their fullfilling and then the duty of waiting ceaseth but this Promise is every day fullfilling and this Promise will never be so fulfilled while we abide in this house of clay till we come to Heaven but there will be room left for waiting Which considered will answer that Objection which kills our hearts in waiting O I have waited so long and yet have not the Spirit Poore soule It may be thou hast not that measure of the Spirit thou lookest at thou wouldest have so much of the Spirit as to have no room left for waiting for any more but this Promise of the Spirit is not such a Promise it is a Promise as is fullfilled by degrees and will not be compleatly fullfilled till thou comest to heaven Thou mayest therefore have more of the Spirit than thou had'st before and thy desires after it and complaints more then formerly for the want of it argue thou hast it but thou hast not so much of it as thou would'st have and therefore thou complainest O soule blesse God for what thou hast and waite for more and in Gods time the Promise of the Father shall be fullfilled to thee according to thy desire We should be every day begging for the Spirit Lord give me more of thy Spirit Waite upon God for the Spirit that we may have more of the Spirit of God that we may be taught more by the Spirit instructed more by the Spirit assured more by the Spirit led more by the Spirit and sealed more by the Spirit and the Lord grant our soules may be filled with this Spirit and that Jesus Christ by his Spirit may dwell in us and take possession of us from henceforth even for ever FINIS The Evill of the Times MALACHI 3.16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a booke of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewells and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne Sonne that serveth him THis Prophet as he was the last Prophet of the Old Testament so he lived in a time of great Apostacy after their returne from Babylon after the second Temple was built wherein men were growne cunning in Apostacy the Lord by his Prophet no sooner charges them with any thing but they justifie themselves saying Wherein have we done thus and wherein have we done thus as you may see in the 7 8 and 13 verses They were so cunning in their Apostacy that the Prophet could not charge them with any thing but they would shift it off and put him upon the Proof Then they that
us up to himselfe in that day when he makes up his Jewells O saith God to his Angels goe and gather up that soul for that soule is mine he is one of my Jewells O God will then shew what it is to owne him God will make it appear plainly then what we are and who we are And I will saith God spare him as a man spareth his owne Son that serveth him I will spare them and pity them O they have many weaknesses and infirmities what though yet saith God I will spare them 't is true saith God they have many weaknesses and have much frowardnesse O but yet I will pardon all and overlook all I will spare them notwithstanding all that I see what they drive at and what they aime at I see what their ends are they aime at my glory at my honour and they aime to be serviceable to me and would very gladly doe something forme well I will overlook and passe by all their weaknesses and infirmities and I will spare them as a man spares his Son that serves him though their brethren and friends will not pardon nor forgive their passions and their frowardnesse their weaknesses and infirmities yet saith God I will I will spare them O Saints here is our glory and our comfort that our father our God will spare us he will over-look our infirmities it 's true Saints we have many weaknesses much frowardnesse of spirit much passion many failings and many out-goings from God and we cannot manage that blessed cause we have in our hands with that wisdome and with that meeknesse and with that humility of spirit as we should O but here 's our comfort we have a sparing God an over-looking and forgetting God O Saints our father will spare us the father will overlook our infirmities he sees we aime at his glory and would doe service for him and that delights his heart and certainly this will appear to be the great sin of Saints one day that they cannot forgive and forget and over-look one anothers weaknesses and one anothers infirmities O but here 's the great comfort of the Saints in such a time that though they have many weaknesses and infirmities yet they have a God and father will spare them and pardon them Saints there 's sparing mercy in God there 's forgiving mercy in God there 's forgetting mercy in God there 's over-looking mercy in God O the good Lord keep our hearts close to him and help us to keep our white Robes about us and to walk in his feare alwayes O let us cast and venture our selves upon the rich grace of God in the New Covenant and love in Jesus Christ FINIS Looke to your Aimes and Ends. MATHEVV 11.7 And as they departed Jesus began to say unto the Multitude concerning John what went ye out into the wildernesse to see A Reede shaken with the winde IN the foregoing Verses we have John who is now in Prison sending some of his Disciples to Christ to propound a Question that he might receive satisfaction therein from the mouth of Christ himselfe The Question is Art thou he which should come or doe we looke for another In effect Whether art thou the Christ or not Or are we to look for some other yet to come that is the Messiah whom God hath promised by his holy Prophets to send unto his People It seems John though he had Preacht Christ and was his Harbinger his Fore-runner and had all the time of his Liberty spoken gloriously of Christ yet now when he is brought into a Prison into a state of temptation he is doubting As it doth befall the dear Children of God when they come into that state when they are under Temptation they doe then question those things which they believed in the day of their Prosperity and Joy So John when he was Preaching in his Prosperity and at Liberty he then held forth Christ but when John is cast into Prison John's faith is not strong now though it was very strong once yet it had need of confirmation from Christ himselfe therefore he sends to Christ Art thou he which should come or doe we looke for another Our Lord answers John's Disciples that came to him that they should Goe and tell John what they heard and saw And what things are those The blind receive their sight and the lame walke The Leapers are cleansed and the deafe hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel Preached to them Goe tell John of my works saith Christ Christ endeavours to convince him by his works and then he concludes And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me As if he should have said it will be a hard thing not to be offended in me it 's a very hard thing for a poor Creature not to be offended in Christ John himselfe that had Preacht Christ so much is upon the very brink of an offence and had much adoe to keep himselfe from being offended therefore Christ saith Blessed is he that is not offended in me I doe not wonder at John it 's a very blessed thing not to be offended in me my people shall meet with such Tryalls and Temptations in owning â—â—e that it 's a very hard thing not to be offended Having this opportunity put into his hands by John's Disciples putting this Question unto him Christ turnes unto the multitude As they departed Jesus began to say unto the multitude concerning John what went ye out into the willdernesse to see what were yee taken with A Reed shaken with the winde The multitude were much taken with John they cry'd up John as a great Prophet and indeed Christ saith that among all that were borne of women there was not a greater that then had risen then John the Baptist yet this great John John that had so much light John that had so much grace John that had Preached Christ so clearly John that the whole multitude followed this John when he comes into Temptation is but a Reed shaken with the winde What went yee out for to see a Reed shaken with the winde The strongest Christian that hath the strongest grace and most experience and most strength yet let him but enter into Temptation and he is but as a Reed shaken with the wind What went ye out for to see a Reed shaken with the winde But this is not that I intend to stand upon The word that I intend to speak to is grounded upon Christs Querie What went yee out into the wildernesse to see The multitude followed after John but alas they did not know him nor wherefore they went after after him So it 's with poore sinners they are apt to be taken with any thing a while but we doe not know our owne hearts our owne designes What went ye out into the wildernesse to see As if he should have said What was your end He put them upon their end to look unto their aymes in spirituall