Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	trinity_n	7,211	5	10.1332	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58958	The Second and last collection of the late London ministers farewel sermons preached by Dr. Seaman, Dr. Bates, Mr. Caryll, [brace] Mr. Brooks, Mr. Venning, and Mr. Mead ; to which is added a farewell sermon preached at Dedham in Essex by Mr. Matthew Newcomen ; as also Mr. Lyes sermon at the conclusion of the last morning-exercise at All-hallows in Lumbard-street, being a summary rehearsal of the whole monthly-lectures.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.; Bates, William, 1625-1699.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.; Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.; Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing S2257; ESTC R41075	195,536	326

is the season for God to feed him with heavenly Manna Jacob had glorious Visions while he was flying from the wrath of his Brother when he had nothing but a heap of stones for his Pillow It was in the wilderness that God speakes to his Church Thus I told you of Mr. Glover a Prisoner who found no comfort in the time of his imprisonment but when he was going to the stake he cryed out He is come he is come meaning the Spirit the Comforter 4. Another Season of Comfort is after some special exercise of Grace godly sorrow for sin fresh actings in the pardon of sin and new engagements and Resolutions and Promises of more close walking with God after declining from him 5. Another Season of Comfort is After some great Trials and afflictions Light is then most pleasant when we new are come out of a dark place after Thunder comes Light●ing after a storme comes a calm God led his people first into the Wilderness and then into the Land of Canu●● 〈◊〉 is often so in God● Dispensations towards his people th●● greatest afflictions go before their greatest deliverance and therefore let not the Saints of God despair when they are at the lowest when they walk in darkness and see no light yet set them trust in the Lord. 6 Another Season of Comfort is When men are conscientiously diligent in their particular Callings then they walk with God To this I gave you an instance in the Shepherds they were faithful and diligent in their callings they were watching over their flocks by night and then the Angel comes and tells them Lo you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2.11 A company of poor Shepherds keeping of their Sheep God appears unto them and manifesteth his comforting presence when the Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding all their long prayers and their strict Rites and Ceremonies hear not a word of him 7 Another Season of Comfort is When we are either preparing for or in the spiritual act of some duty When grace is exercised to prepare the heart to pray and in attendance upon such an Ordinance then often times the Spirit of God is with them to let poor souls in their endeayours find acceptance with God Hannah had been praying to God but what melody did she find in her heart When Mary sate at Christs feet how doth Christ fill her heart with comfort sealing up her salvation to her I now come to close with some application Use of Information Use If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the bea● of Christs Disciples then by way of Information I gather this That a poor soul is very hardly setled and satisfied in 〈◊〉 of comfort Sure it is a hard matter to comfort a poor 〈◊〉 when one of the persons of the blessed Trinity must be ●●ployed on purpose to do it This is an Office belong●●● the Holy Ghost when he is to be the Paraclete the com●●● of the Holy Ghost This sure is a hard matter to com●●● the wounded spirit when the soul is fully 〈…〉 spir●● 〈◊〉 bondage Oh! the hesitancies the jealousies the do●●● and fears the objections that a poor soul makes against 〈◊〉 spiritual peace and comfort now it begins to take comfort then it doubts again now he believeth and takes courage but anon he is afraid there is a great deal adoe to fasten comfort upon a poor soul 2 Cor. 1.21 22. What a heap of words are there together and it is all little enough to comfort a poor soul Now he that establisheth us with you on Christ and hath annointed us is God and hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts It is not without much tugging and drawing that the soul is first brought to beleeve and then when it doth believe it is a hard thing to perswade it that it doth believe There is a strange kind of squemishness upon the heart he thinks that there is no comfort to be taken that doth belong to him Luther says It is a harder thing to comfort a troubled Conscience than to raise the dead Surely it must be as hard when nothing but the sau●● power must do it The soul is hardly convinced but all the glad ridings of the Gospel are golden streams and all the Promises are 〈◊〉 pleasant Fancies without any Reality but that these things should belong to him this he cannot believe for want of Faith So that the Spirit of God is fain to come in and end the controversie before the soul will be satisfied 2. If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the hearts of his people then all the comfort of Christless and graceless souls is nothing worth there is no true peace for they are not the Disciples of Christ which are the prop●● subjects of this comfort they will not hearken to 〈◊〉 nor learn of Christ but they cast his words behind their back and break his bands a sunder Those that do not learn Christs precepts and follow Christs Canons and obey Christs Commands they are none of Christs Disciples and to be sure they have not the 〈◊〉 of Christ which is the Efficient ●n this 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the root there cannot be the fruit for this inward peace 〈◊〉 the fruit of the spirit And therefore what comfort they have it is either a sinful comfort which to be sure will end in sorrow or else at best it is but a carnal comfort which wil soon vanish like the crackling of thorns under a Pot There is no peace saith God to the wicked there is no peace with God as long as you are at peace with sin 3. Here they are stumbled with the riddle that the people of God should be sorrowing yet always rejoycing as sorrowing yet always rejoycing the carnal world think this to be a contradiction though they be troubled without yet they have peace within though they have matter of sorrow in respect of outward affliction yet they have fellowship with the holy Ghost the Comforter which gives peace in affliction joy in sorrow light in darkness which fils them with joy unspeakable and full of glory Secondly If the holy Ghost be the only Comforter of the hearts of Gods people then let me exhort every one of you to labour for an interest in this Comforter Friends I beseech you be restless till you have got some evidence of the Comforter in your souls by the inhabitation of the Spirit in your hearts without you have an interest in Christ there is no comfort no true comfort to be expected no comfort in prosperity no comfort in adversity no comfort in life nor in death no peace with your consciences Men may make a shift to keep themselves at quiet for the present by lulling conscience they may have a kind of peace from a false principle Ah but what wil you do when storms arise wh●● wil you do

when as they who stand fast do even force a good Testimony from their Enemies So it was the unhappy chance of Cranmer the Papists did perswade him to subscribe and did he get any honour by it No truly they did upbraid him and reproach him and so he had dyed in a raving condition had not the Lord been merciful to him I remember a speech of St. Austin about drinking of Healths Oh! say they 't is upon the King's Birth-day and we cannot avoid it If we deny it say they we shall be reproached and scorned of men He gives them many Answers to it but one as I remember was this God will so work that if you will not comply with them they in their hearts will honour you and whereas if you did comply with them they would dishonour you and say you are base spirited That is one thing of this Point that keeping close to Jesus Christ will get you this Reward you shall walk with him in the white of honour they shall walk in the white of honour with his People and it may be with the World too 2 They shall walk in white in the white of peace and joy and inward comfort I shewed you in the opening of the Text how the Scripture calls that walking in white Then the Point is this What ever becomes of the other white of honour in the World they shall be sure of this that abundance of peace and joy and comfort shall possess their souls that keep their garments white they shall walk in the inward white of joy and peace with Jesus Christ and this is a blessed Reward Indeed now this joy this white of joy arises in the Soul three ways 1. From the Testimony of their own Consciences Oh! they who have a good Testimony from their own Consciences walk in white 2 Cor. 1.12 We have this for our rejoycing the Testimony of our Consciences that in all simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in Heaven that is walking in white this is our rejoycing our Conscience speaks well of us and kindly to us and who is able to express the sweetness of this thing None can know what this is but they that have it as it is said of the New Name written upon the white Stone Rev. 2 1● 'T is a thing beyond expression what the joy an● peace of a good Conscience is Now this I say that our white Garments and our walking in white ariseth from the Testimony of our Consciences 2. As from the Testimony of our Consciences so from that Testimony which is greater than out Consciences the Spirit the shedding abroad of Divine Love thus it is with those that do not defile their Garments but endure any thing rather then defile their Garments Rom. 5.3 4 5. And not onely so but we glory in Tribulations knowing Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed and whence was all this because of the Holy Ghost which was given to us this causeth joy unspeakable The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God This Witness doth cause wonderful joy much more then the witnesses of our own Consciences 3. This ioy doth arise from that well-grounded hope which that Soul hath that keeps himself clean hope of enjoying Heaven at last hope of future glory is our present joy Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and joyce in hope of the glory of God Now they who keep their Garments white have good ground of hope of the love of God therefore this must needs cause them to walk comfor ably as they who have this hope purifie themselves so they who purifie themselves have good ground of this hope and therein great cause to rejoyce Pet. 1.5 6. Who are kept by the power of God brough Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in ●e last times wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for 〈◊〉 season if need be ye are in heaviness through many emptations We walk in white in the hope we have of that In●eritance Now lay these three things together ●f they who keep their Garments undefiled have ●he Testimony of their own Consciences and the ●estimony of the Spirit shedding the Love of God ●n their hearts and a well-grounded hope of fu●ure ●lory how can it be but these must walk in white ●ith Jesus Christ that is in comfort and joy of ●e Spirit and of their own spirits Thus David walked he had abundance of joy up●n the Conscience of his own integrity and keeping his heart and hands clean from those iniquities ●is enemies charged him with Ps 3. The Lord shall ●udge his people Judge me O Lord according to my ●ighteousness and according to mine integrity that is in ●●e He appeals to the Lord the Lord shall judge ●is people Judge me O Lord according to my ●ighteousness Thus he appeals to God himself he ●ad so much confidence and his heart gave him ●hat he kept himself from those iniquities So Job walkt in white though his Friends blackt him exceedingly yet he walked in white in his Conscience Job 16.19 Behold my Witness is in Heaven and my Record is on high I have not onely a Witness in my Conscience but my Witness is above He walked in white notwithstanding all his afflictions from God and his Friends Hezekiah walkt in this white when death 〈◊〉 him in the face Lord thou knowest I have we upright with thee I need not stay in the proof of the thing let 〈◊〉 make some Use and Improvement of it Vse Is this blessed reward to those who ke●● their garments white to walk in the white of peac● and joy then here we see the happiness of all tho●● who are true to Christ and his wayes Psal 119. ● Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in th● Law of the Lord. 'T is just in the Language of 〈◊〉 Text they indeed shall walk in white it is a grea● part of our blessedness to have peace of conscience and inward joy Oh how much better is it that the peace and joy of this world and the comforts of this world Prov. 15.13 A merry heart or as another Translation saith A good Conscience and indeed a merry heart and a good Conscience do but one explain the other a merry heart or a good Conscience is a continual Feast Here is no● surfeiting in this feast but a continual Musick co●tinual joy and comfort oh how blessed are the● who are undefiled in the way That which Christ said of the Lilly Solomon 〈◊〉 all his glory was not arrayed like one of these so may I say of the Lilly-white soul that keeps himself white in the world who keeps himself white i● matter of practice and worship Solomon in all 〈◊〉 glory was not arrayed like one of these Lilly-white ones Oh the Rivers of Consolations that flow to them that keep themselves out of

in sin that he is a stranger to the life of Grace hence ariseth all his spiritual troubles now the Spirit of God comes in and resolves the case comes into the soul by his bright Reflections and fills our souls with comfort Now 〈◊〉 have received not the spirit of the world but the Sp●● which is of God 4. The Spirit of God is a comforting Spirit as he openeth the vein of godly sorrow in the soul Truly this is the next way to spiritual comfort when a man can once spiritually mourn for sin Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Godly forrow opens the vein and le ts out the matter that hinders comfort and causeth inward trouble in the soul A gracious man takes a great delight in godly forrow Oh! it s a matter of marvellous comfort to a Child of God when he can kindly mourn for his sins 5. The Spirit of God comforts the soul as he is 〈◊〉 mortifying Spirit Thus he takes away that that is the ground and matter of Believers trouble mortifying that sin that is the cause of his sorrow pride unbelief inordinate love to the world 6. The Spirit of God works comfort in the hearts of his people by setting their own spirit to seek for comfort in Gods own wayes The last thing I did for the Explication of the Doctrine was to add some Propositions and they were 〈◊〉 as these 1. Many a gracious heart that hath fellowship with the Spirit of God in his sanctifying work may feel 〈◊〉 find none in his comforting work The Sun 〈◊〉 operate where it doth not shine A ma● 〈…〉 of salvation when he doth not feel the joy●● of 〈…〉 Isa 51.3 You shall find those that fear the Lord and had the comforts of the Holy Ghost yet walked in darkness 2. Even those gracious souls that have the fellowship of the ●nnforting Spirit to day may want it to morrow This is not daily bread while the Saints are on this side Heaven The Solstice of a Christians comfort doth not last all the day long they are not feasted with this every day they have the night as well as the day there is a night as well as a day in the heart of a gracious soul as it is in natural in the common course of nature the Sun may shine to day but it may be clouded to morrow Thus it was with that holy man Psal 30.7 Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mount ain 〈◊〉 stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled And God doth this in infinite wisdom to put a difference between Earth and Heaven this valley of tears and that state of glory that so the hearts of Gods people may be kept in a frame of longing after the state of Heaven God●wil have his people be groaning here that his people may groan after that condition when all sorrowing and sighing shall flee away God reserves perfect comfort to be the reward of perfect holiness while our graces are imperfect we most make account that our comfort will be so too Tears will be never wiped from our eyes til sin be quite take● out of our hearts 3. Those that have had this spirituall comfort in their souls they may lose not only the impression of the Spirits com●nt but they may feel impressions of Gods anger Heman compla●● that the wrath of God did hang upon him and that the 〈◊〉 of God had cut him off A gracious heart hath real grou●●●● of consolation though he hath not present sensible comfort A child of God hath alwayes that that if he did see he could not be without comfort the Promises are his support he hath the first fruits of the Spirit and right to ea●●nal life A child of God shall always have so much to keep up● hopes and affiance upon God a child of God in the da●est condition though he doth not see enough to make 〈◊〉 rejoyce in God yet he sees enough to make him trust i● God though he walk in darkness and see no light yet he trusts in God Job sayes Though the Lord slay him yet be would trust in him David was in great trouble while ●e was in that disquiet expostulation Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God 5 Those that have inward comforts from the spirit may at the same time have little comfort from Gods outward dispensations It may be dark without when it 's light within while Stephen sees nothing but blood here below he saw Heaven above And Christ tells his Disciples In the world they should have tribulation but in him they should have peace 6 And lastly Though this be one great work of the spirit of God to comfort the hearts of Christs Disciples yet there are some speciall seasons where in the Spirit of God gives out this comfort There are seasons of sadnesse there is a season of heavinesse there is need of it There is a time to weep and a time to laugh and a time to mourn and a time to dance I shewed you some of the Seasons 1 One special Season of the Spirits comforting the renewed soul is presently upon the souls first salvation After the Spirit is become a Spirit of Adoption presently it becomes a Spirit of Consolation after the Spirit hath come into the Soul in the Law it then nextly appears a Spirit in the Gospel 2 Another season when the Spirit gives out this comfort is just before the Lord layes upon his people any great afflict●● on When was it that Christ was transfigured and his face did shinc as the Sun it was immediately before his blood passion Christ was first taken into the Mount before 〈◊〉 was up lifted upon the Crosse When was the 〈◊〉 heard This is my beloved Son in whom I am well 〈◊〉 but just before he was led into the wildecess● to be tempted When was Paul lifted up into Heaven it was immediately before Satan was sent to buffer him Thus God gives his people somthing before-hand to support their spirits that they may not faint the Disciples were full of comfort Acts 5.41 and when was this immediately just before they were carried before the Council and whipt up and down like Vagabonds Rogues for Preaching the Gospel 3. Another Season when the Spirit gives out this Comfort is in the time of suffering God comes in the nick of time especially if a man suffer for righteousnesse sake if his suffering be upon the account of Christ he seldome fails to send the Comforter for the relieving of his spirit 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Bodily confinement and inward streights are the time of the Souls greatest enlargement John had his Vision i● the Isle of Patmos When a child of God is brought to a piece of bread then

comfort yet you have little in comparison of what you may have if you seek for it 2 Study the excellent nature of the comfort how little soever a man hath of this spiritual comfort it will swee● his condition be it what it will be When a man hath communion with the Spirit of God he hath comfort in all conditions then though a mans condition be never so bad yet it is very good Hab. 2.17 Though the Fig-tree shall not blossome though the fruit be not in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall cease and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation He can fetch hope and ground his faith upon the Promises though the Providences and Dispensations of God be never so mysterious the comfort of the Spirit doth make up the want of all other comforts the comforts of Ordinances are sweet comforts Sermons-comforts are sweet comforts Sacraments-comforts are sweet comforts Ah but the comfort of the Spirit can supply the want of all these all outward crosses do not hinder these inward comforts a man that hath these comforts may have a feast with bread and water a little of this comfort is able to sweeten a whole Ocean of sorrow In the multitude of the thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psal 94.10 So that when the hearts of Gods people are filled with sad thoughts what will become of themselves What will become of their Families what will become of the Church of God what will become of the Ministry of the Gospel and of the Ordinances of Christ they are full of sad fears and distracting thoughts when they have a multitude of thoughts in the midst of all these spiritual comforts can comfort and refresh the soul Oh labour after a greater share of this comfort God hath cast us upon sad times wherein we shall have need of more than ordinary comfort we are like to have troubles without if we have not peace within it will be very sad we are like to lose much of Christ bodily presence I mean in his Ordinances many of those Messengers that represent the person of Christ and stand in his stead if we should not enjoy the other Comforter our estates would be doleful If we have darkness without and darkness within how sad will that darkness be 3. Labour to get more communion from the Spirit of God This will raise and sublimate your natural comforts and turn them into spiritual comforts A man never relisheth these outward comforts till he come to taste the ravishment and sweetness of the holy Ghost till he taste the love of God these give them a higher lustre than the men of the world though they enjoy much comfort yet they do not enjoy half that a Child of God doth the litttle that the righteous hath is better than the great revenues of the wicked to a Child of God a Dinner of green hearbs is more savory and pleasant to him than the stalled Oxe because a Child of God hath better sauce with it Worldly men they smell to their flowers it is only the godly man that sucks out the honey that all things are given to him in love out of this he sucks comfort A gracious heart sees all these outward comforts that they are purchased with the blood of Christ and therefore these should do him good and he may take comfort that he hopes for what he hath not as well as for what he may have and he may take comfort in his condition be it what it will he sees all is for his good such a one believeth what he feeth not So he believeth Gods wayes are wayes of truth though some more sweet and some more bitter Labour after communion with the Spirit in his comforting work is another This is the best preservative against all intanglements of sin whatsoever It is a great hour of temptation and if our comforts do not lie above the world we shall be greatly ensnared by the world If a man 〈◊〉 sweet meats he cannot relish ordinary food so while these sweet comforts lie upon the soul he cannot relish these ordinary things in the world What do ye tempt me with these things sayes a Child of God what are these to the comforts of the Holy Ghost The heart of man will seek comfort one way or another and if he hath it not from the Spirit of God he will seek it some other way it he hath not comfort from the Spirit of God he will seek som● sparks of his own kindling rather then they will sit in darkness without comfort they will light their candle at the Devils sire And as he delivereth from temptation on the right so he delivereth from temptation on the left hand he that is filled with the comforts of the holy Ghost what are sufferings to such a man He hath that within him that wil carry him through all danger here is that comfort and that life by Christ which may ease us in our greatest crosses this will make a child of God speak of the sufferings of this World as a light matter Our light affliction which is but for a moment shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory they took joyfully the spoyling of their goods because in heaven they had a better and more enduring substance Heb. 11.35 Some were tortured receiving no deliverance because in heaven they had a better substance Oh if you would be kept from the snares of the world let your comforts be above the power and danger of temptation from any thing here below 3 By way of Direction How shall we have communion and act Faith upon the holy Ghost as our Comforter The holy Ghost is designed and appointed by God the Father to this Office Now you know none love to be slighted in their office and if we do not act Faith upon the holy Ghost we slight his Office therefore we should have recourse to him in a way of believing As we should act Faith upon Christ for the pardon of sin so we should act Faith upon the holy Ghost for a sense of that pardon 2 Go often to Jesus Christ and beg him and beseech him to intreat the Father for you Go to God the Father in the name of Christ and beg it upon the account of Christs prayer and intercession that he would send the Comforter and you have good argument to enforce the Petition the very same as the Disciples That Christ would when he w●●● away pray the Father and he should send you another Comforter Christ tells them that some there were that would kill the● and in so doing think they did God good service therefore Christ in compassion to them in the state that he left them in prayes the Father that he would send the Comforter So now we

must go to God those Ministers that were wont to comfort us are now to be taken from us our Barnaba●'s Sons of consolation their mouths are to be stopped though Ordinances are now to be dammed up the houses of God made places of defilement our Teachers are removed into corners our troubles increase and we have none to tell us how long the light of our eys the comfort of our hearts in respect of the outward means are going from us whither shall we go we want bread for our souls we want cordials for our hearts blessed Saviour pity us and since thou wilt not come to us in thy own presence as thy Ambassadors do come to us by thy Spirit do now in heaven as thou didst on earth pray the Father for us do not leave us as so many Orphans without father or mother but send thy Spirit to refresh our souls see how we are hated and reviled and we must suffer these things now Let us have thy spirit 3 If you would have communion with the Spirit of Christ in his comforting work Take heed that you do not lay up your comforts in the creature This is for to seek for the living among the dead those that rejoyce in the creature rejoyce in a thing of nought and you that have an interest in God God will not take it well at your hands to seek it any where else no not in Ordinances though God would have you to seek comfort in Ordinances yet he would not have you to seek comfort from Ordinances 4 Sit down and be much in duty Psal 63.5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches If you look at the beginning of the Psalm you shall find this Psalm was penn'd when David was deprived of the Ordinances of God Many a man complains that he lives uncomfortably no wonder when he little thinks on Christ 5 Be much in the exercise of grace Then they walked in the fear of the Lord when they walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 6. Take heed of quenching and grieving the Spirit your Comforter by neglecting his motions or by acting any thing against the mind of the Spirit Do not sin against him as your enlightning Spirit that will hinder him as your Comforter I close with a word of Comfort to the people of God If it be one of the great works of the Spirit of God here is matter of great comfort to those that stick close to Jesus Christ 1. Sure your comforts will be satisfying Comforts sufficient because they are comforts of the Spirits working The Lord Jesus hath promised to make up the want of his bodily presence by sending his Spirit He was now going from them and tells them That he could not stay and this was sad newes to the Disciples who where ready to break their hearts and the best comfort that he could afford them was to tell them That he would send the Comforter If Christ can comfort his people in the absence of himself surely he can comfort them in the want of all other comforts that relate either to soul or body and so in the want of mercies in the want of outward Ordinances he can comfort the soul It is the Spirit of God that can comfort in the use of these and if he will he can do it in the want of them he can comfort us in the wildernesse where no water is when he doth deny the meanes he can cumfort us without where he denies the stream he can make us drink out at the Fountain 7. And Lastly The people of God find hereby that their comforts are abiding Your liberty your friends ah Ordinances and Ministers may be taken from you your Ministers may be banish'd your Ministers may be imprison'd but here is a Comforter that abides for ever And though they may keep your Ministers out of the Pulpit yet they shall not take the Comforter out of your hearts So that when I shall not Preach any more to you I shall Pray the Father that he would send you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Mr. Bull of Newington-Green His Farewel Sermon in the afternoon Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified THe words are part of S. Pauls Farewel-Sermon or discourse to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus one of those famous seven Churches of Asia that we read of in the book of the Revelations It is not to be doubted as Calvin doth Comment upon the place that though the Apostle speaks immediately to the Elders yet he doth comprehen● the whole Church in the Speech Our holy Apostle had been a long time with the Church preaching among them taking pains with them both in publick and private as you may see in the 20 verse and declares to them the whole Counsel of God verse 27. and now being called away taken off by divine Providence by the will of his Master the last and best office that he thought he could do for them was to commit them to the care of God and to leave them in his arms and to recommend them to his Grace It would be more then the time would permit to look over the whole Apostles Sermon which is partly Narrative and partly Consolatory Narrative to put them in mind in what manner he had preached to them from verse 17. to verse 27. And it s partly Consolatory from the 27. to the Text wherein the Apostle could hold no longer but his love constrains him and makes him to break forth into this pathetical wish or rather prayer And now Brethren I commend you to his grace As if he had said I am just now going 〈◊〉 you not knowing that I shall see your face any more now I am a dying man as to my conversing with you an● more now I am departing this is the best Legacie I can bequeath unto To commend you to God and to his grace And he speaks to persons as standing in the same relation with God and Christ and having the same Father and the same elder Brother As if he should have said you are as dear to me as my own flesh as if you were my brethren by consanguinity and it is my sorrow that I must leave you but as it is my greatest grief to part with you yet I must leave you and this is the comfort that I shall leave you in safe hands I do not leave you to the wide world I do not leave you as Orphans without a Father as Sheep without a Shepherd but I commend you to God and to his grace O happy word Though I must leave you yet I trust God who is able will keep you as God is present every-where