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
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
is of another kind its comforts are of another kind And this God brings all his to before ever they become fruitfull in a Gospel way for note here it may be the condition of a true childe of God as well as of the hypocrite to build too much upon these foundations yea to be building yeares together upon them and that too after true grace is wrought in his soule Abraham was a true beleiver and yet goes in unto Hagar the old Covenant and thirteene yeares together his heart run's upon her fruit and all his Expectations are from it But note this withall that till God brings a belever to this to make a more direct and Immediate close with Christ in the new Covenant he will be barren as to Gospel fruit Abraham had no fruit from Sarah till God had discovered to him that Hagar's fruit was not the fruit but he must yet looke for fruit from Sarah so a true beleiver will be barren as to Gospel fruit untill he is brought off from all other foundations and made to close with Christ in the new Covenant And indeed I thinke I may say that there never was a beleiver in the world but either before conversion or after he hath been brought under the old Covenant and there hath been a building upon such foundations for it is naturall to a soule under the old Covenant so to doe Quest 6. But when doth God lay Christ as a foundation in the soule is it in the first worke or change that is wrought upon a soule or afterwards Answ There is a twofold worke or change wrought upon many soules I say many because every one doth not passe under this double change First Legall which is a worke or change wrought by the power of the Law or by the Ministry of the letter for so the Apostle calls the Law 2 Cor 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life And I doe here expound the Law by the Ministry of the letter to the end we may not looke upon the Law as containing onely the matter of the ten Commandements and the promises and Threats annexed to these but indeed take the Law at large for the summe of that truth revealed either in the Scriptures of the old or New Testament which containes within it Doctrines Promises Precepts Threats c. so far as this truth comes to a soule and is received onely as a notion as it is the letter a voice of words c. so far it falls short of being Gospel which is a word of Power the Power of God unto Salvation a Ministration of the Spirit and life and is no other but the word of the Law that is a bare word without Power a killing letter to it And whatsoever worke or change is wrought by this word as it comes to the soule onely as an enlightening notion or directing letter discovering to a man his duty state c. or as it comes as a threatening terrifying voice of words driving the soule to that it apprehends to be its duty and making it for feare to seeke after a better state than it sees it selfe to be in for all this the word as its a bare letter or a voice of words may doe I say all this worke or change is no other nor better than a legall worke or change for it is a worke wrought by the Ministry of the letter by a voice of words it is the light of the bare letter and the terror of the voice of words that makes a man in his owne strength fall to working and accordingly the worke brought forth or the change produced hereby seeing it is no other but an act a worke a change performed by the strength of nature and not by the strength of the promise it can be no other but a worke of the flesh a child of the Law or old Covenant as was Ishmael and not of the promise or new Covenant as was Isaac Secondly There is an Evangelicall worke oâ— change which is that worke which is wrought upon the soule by the power of the Spirit in the word cutting the soule off from the dead stock of old Adam and ingraffing it into the living stock of the new Adam Jesus Christ And the very foundation of the worke or change is marriage-union with Christ The Spirit of God in the Word lays hold of a poore soule by an Almighty power and breakes it off from the old stock and in the same Instant ingraffs it into Christ Now by the engraffing there is a union and from this union a communication to the soule of that new sap and life that is in Christ and by virtue of this a glorious work and change is wrought in the soule new fruit new actions appeare in it Now observe the Fathers laying Christ as a foundation is not in the first worke which I call Legal for a soule may have that work as had Ahab Judas Herod Stony Thorny ground c. and yet perish for ever but so cannot any that Christ is the foundation of for if so then could not Christ be a sure foundation as the Prophet calls him Esay 28.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Syon for a foundation a Stone a tryed stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation But the laying of Christ as a foundation is in this second worke And the beginning of this is our union which is that thing by which we are ingraffed into Christ and so grow and beare fruit upon Christ as the stock or foundation when a soule hath this union from that moment is Christ his foundation but not before for what ever may be found in him or come from him before this union be it sorrow for sin Comfort obedience c. it hath not Christ for a foundation for how can Christ be a foundation to that soule or to any thing in that soule that is not united to him can we say such a thing is a foundation to such a building and yet the building be separate from that thing and standing upon something else not so Quest But the soule may say If there be this double worke and change and Christ is the foundation onely of the latter How shall I know whether the worke upon me be Legal or Evangelical that so I may know whether Christ be my foundation yea or no Ans This is a most difficult Question and the farther I consider it the more doth it beget matter of feare and trembling and the rather because those things which we ordinarily bring forth as evidences of the grace of God within us will not manifest this difference because there is not any one particular worke affection grace that flowes from the Gospel-worke upon a soule but that worke which is onely Legall hath the counterfeit of that worke grace affection c. not but that there
for the Spirit of God enables us to act this faith we are not able of our selves to put forth the least act of faith the soule cannot when he wants sence put forth the least act of faith but it 's the Spirit of God the exceeding greatnes of the power of the holy Spirit that comes and raises up the power of a poore soule the Spirit of God comes when the poore soule is quivering and shaking and trembling under Temptations and comforts strengthen's stay 's supports refreshes and establishes the heart and the soule so all the comfort peace joy and consolation of the soule it 's from the Spirit it 's all lodg'd up in this promise Secondly All our spirituall light and teaching is from hence it 's the office of the holy Spirit to be the teacher of the Saints He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance he is the Saints Comforter and he is the Saints teacher all our light and teaching it 's laid up in this promise there 's a vast difference betwixt the knowledge men have in their heads which we call notion and that knowledge which men have from the Spirit which the Apostle pray's for and calls the Spirit of Wisdome and of Revelation if we have any true light it 's from the holy Spirit as all outward light by which wee see naturall things it 's from the Sun and if the Sun were out of the firmament there would be no light to see created things so the inward light by which we see things as they are spirituall things all this light is from the holy Spirit and if the Spirit of God doe but withdraw from the heart all it's light is but a heape of darknes so the light of the people of God it 's not in themselves and their knowledge it 's not in themselves sometimes men may beate out knowledge and light by their reason and parts I but there 's another kinde of light in the first of the Cor the 24 and this is from the holy Spirit of God The Spirit of God it is the enlightening principle True reason it 's the light of man but it s as real a truth that the Spirit of God is the light of reason therefore we have a speech in Job There 's a spirit in man but the inspiration is of the Almighty giving him understanding that is there 's a rationall spirit in man that can beate things out in a rationall way that can discover and draw conclusions and Inferences and the like but it must be the Inspiration of the Almighty that must give him understanding a man can have no true light no true knowledge if there be not a light enlightening this light if there be not the Inspiration of the Almighty enlightening his understanding if the spirit of man be not guided by the Spirit of God the Spirit of God enlightens the naturall spirit and the naturall understanding of man there 's a spirit in man but the Inspiration is of the Almighty giving him understanding we have as much need of the light of the Spirit to understand spirituall things as you and I or any other have need of the light of reason to teach and discover to us naturall things If a man had not the light of reason he were a naturall foole and a man cannot make out naturall things but by a naturall light so where the Spirit of God is wanting though a man hath never so much reason yet that man is a spirituall foole and he cannot make out spirituall things without the light of the holy Spirit and it was upon this account the Apostle Paul speakes so gloriously to the Corinthians he went to preach the Gospel to consound the wisdome of the wise Where is the wise and where is the Scribe and the disputer of this world Who can understand the Gospel by the brave witts and quicke apprehensions of the world and the sharpest witts if they could not reach these things where is their wisdome no saith the Apostle this is another manner of wisdome than the world knowes For after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God then it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to save them that beleive The wise men of the world by their owne light reason and parts could never know God God would have the knowledge of himselfe come into his Children in another way though they take up truth in a rationall way as men and doe not lay all upon Impressions and revelations yet they receive these things from God by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of God and that hath demonstration going along with it I preach not in the enticeing words of mans wisdome saith the Apostle but in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and the more we can learne things in the evidence demonstration of the Spirit of God the more light there will be in our reason for the Spirit of God enlightens the spirit of man if a man have a great deale of understanding and be unacquainted with the way of the Spirits teaching he knowes nothing and understands nothing The naturall man understands not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discern'd discern'd by the light of the holy Spirit therefore saith he We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are given to us of God as if he should have said there are blessed things given us of God glorious things given us of God such things as are worth ten thousand worlds given us of God but how shall we know these things why not by the spirit of the world but by the Spirit of God By this Spirit of God we know the things that are freely given us of God it 's the Spirit of God that enlighten's us Thirdly All our Inward life and motion it s laid up in this promise There 's no motion that can be in our soules which may be called spirituall life or spirituall motion if it be not from the holy and blessed Spirit of God the Spirit of God to the soule of man is as the soule is to his body what is the soule to the body the principle of life and motion if the soule be but out of the body the man is presently but a carkase and there 's no stirring moving breathing or acting so the Spirit of God is to the soule if the Spirit of God be gone from the soule there 's no motion no stirring no acting a living Saint this houre a dead blocke the next houre one that hath a great deale of life from God in this duty is so dead and low as if he had no life at all in the next so the life of the Saints is not in themselves but it s in the Spirit of God and so it s laid up in this promise Fourthly Further All the spirituall strength by which the
promise of the Spirit It s the Spirit it s the Spirit that shall bring to your remembrance saith Christ whatsoever I have said unto you The holy Spirit of God comes and makes the soule to remember all the words of the Lord Jesus Christ all the promises in the blessed book of God that concernes our sanctification any peice of it any thing belonging to it or that concernes our consolation or any peice of it or any thing belonging to it they are all lodg'd up in this great and glorious and blessed promise of the Spirit of God as in the promise of the Messiah are lodg'd all the promises of our Justification and every peice of it so in this promise of the Spirit is lodg'd up all the promises of our sanctification consolation Justification flow's out of the one and holines peace and comfort out of the other is it not then a great promise O it s a glorious and most blessed promise I had thought to have shewne you how it is the great New-Testament promise the great promise that we are to looke for under the new Testament but I shall not be able to come to that at this Time The Lord therefore set that upon our hearts and as there is much lodg'd up in this promise so O that our hearts were now all taken with it that we might all looke up unto God for the giving out of this Spirit methinkes none should goe home now and say I will not regard this Spirit I doe not see any thing in this Spirit much lesse that any should goe away and jeere at the Spirit laugh at the Spirit and make a mocke of it O far be it from our soules that any here should doe so but let us every one looke after this Spirit Lord come and give out of thy Spirit to my soule come and give out of thy Spirit to my soule Lord I have been a Rebell an Enemy a wretch an opposer but let thy Spirit come and subdue my Corruption let thy Spirit come downe and bring up my heart to thee O thy Spirit Lord to subdue this wretched distemper in me that have been a mocker and jeerer at thy Spirit Poore soule do'st thou want a word of conviction to be thoroughly convinced before the Lord O say now O Lord send thy Spirit to convince me now O Lord let thy Spirit convince my soule of sin let thy Spirit convince my soule of righteousnes let thy Spirit come and shew me how I have not beleived in Christ how that I have taken up other things besides Christ as my foundation and laid other foundations besides the foundation of God let the Spirit of the Lord come and shew me how many righteousnesses I have set up instead of the Lords righteousnes If the Spirit of God should come to our hearts now not a man or woman here but would goe out and say O I am a poore wretched creature I thought I had had wisdome when I came hither but I goe out a foole and I thought I had had strength when I came hither but I am weakness it selfe and I thought I had had parts and gifts but I am nothing I thought I could have beleived and acted faith upon God but I can doe nothing nothing of my selfe if the Lord come to convince by his Spirit it will be thus indeed There are many legall convictions and men goe away hardened after them and they are ten times worse hast thou man or woman been convinced of that and hast gone away mightily affected and yet can'st thou come againe and sit here and sleepe O beg of the Lord to give out his Spirit to convince thee and to doe all thy workes in thee and for thee hast thou been a long time doubting and seeking what way God will owne what truth God will owne for his truth O labour for the Spirit cry for the Spirit for the teachings of the Spirit beg of the Lord to teach thee by his Spirit spread the promise before the Lord hast thou not said Lord Thy Spirit shall teach us all things and guide us into all truth Here 's thy promise Lord Lord now let me have thy Spirit to reveale thy truth to me and to shew me thy will and when the Spirit comes and teaches us we shall know principles in another way than we did before a Christian can see a cleare evident distinction betwixt those principles he fetches in from reason and those he hath from the Spirit of God enlightening his reason Now wouldest thou depart O beg of the Lord to come and give thee hâ—s Spirit and then being taught by the Spirit of God thou wilt stand to the truth the reason why men are this to day and another thing to morrow it is because they are not taught by the Spirit but their faith is laid in the wisdome of men and they take up things from men and doe beleive a thing because such a wise man speakes it and when a wiser than he comes and speakes otherwise then they will leave that and take up what he saith now saith the Apostle I came not to you with the enticeing word of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith might stand not in the wisdome of man but in the power of God as if he should have said I know how apt you are to take up things in the wisdome of man and not in the light of the Spirit of God but cry out Lord let me have nothing but in the power of God and from thy Spirit upon my heart in the demonstration of thy Spirit this will hold a man will stand to this he will say I did not receive this truth by the light of my reason but by another light hereupon the soule will hold to truth As the Saints in Queene Mary's dayes could not dispute but yet they would dye for the truth they had their principles in the light of the Spirit and in the power of the Spirit Now how many now aday's have their faith founded in the wisdome of men and not in the power of God If God should come and sift men you will never hold if you will not learne of the Spirit but have things onely from your reason How many have spoken gloriously of the truths of the present age and when it comes to some tryall when there comes suffering and their owne Interest calls off to the other side turne their backs upon it that which men have had onely from their reason will not lead them through Temptation if Temptation come that man will give away his truth rather than part with his Interest his honour or profit or the like a man that hath reason will gather up a great deale in the notion but if the Lord doe not teach us by his own Spirit we shall not hold O beg this every heart for himselfe and for all the children of God at this day that we might not
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