Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Cfllp.I.Se~.I i Looking unto 1eft~~. Booic IV,Parc. V 867 5 . The spirit doth not only preferv ethe heart which he hath renewed but he makes it fruitful and abundanc-in the work of the Lord'. And fruitfulndfe is a ground of comfort, Jing Q bttrrm, thou that didft not be>~~e, bre~k.Jort.h into Jingivg , and cry a loud I(a,H r. thou thllt didft not tr_avetie wtth chslde, for more are the chi!- · dren of the defolate than the c.hildrm of the m11rritd wife, faith the Lord. 6 . The Spirit doth not only make the heart fruitful, but gives it the hanfel and earneft of its inheritance, and thereby it begets a lively hope, an earneft expeCtation, a confide-nt attendance upon the promifes, and an unfpeakable peace a!)dcomfort thereupon. Oh when 1 feele a drop of heavens joy thcd abroad into .my foul by the holyGhofr, and chat I look upon this as a tafte of glory, and a forerunne~ ofhappinetfe, how fhou~d. I. but rejoyce with joy unfpeakable? maU thefe refpeCl:s the Spmt ts our Comforter. and this is another reafon why the holy Ghofr is fent. I wiD ;~t leaveyou comfortleffi, faith Chrifr,no,no ;for I will come unto yu by m] Spirit. 7· That the holy Ghoft might according to his office Fale m Eph·4 3G• unto the daJ ofredemption. By fe~tling is meant fome work of the Spirit by. which he atfures a beleever that he is Gods: it is all one with the Spirits witnt/Jing; only under that notion I thall fpeak of it another time. · But all the queftion is, what is that work ot , the Spirit by which he a£fures ? ' I anfwer this work is many· fold. As.- 1, There is.t reflexe work offaith, and this is the work ofthe Spirittoo, affuring our fouls ofour good eftate to God-ward, and Chrift-ward, he that beleeveth hath the witnej{e in himfelfe. he carry~s in his heart the c?unterpane ofall the promifes, this i; 1 Job. 5 • 10 t the firft leale, or (tfyou wtll) the firft degree of the Spirits fealing ; the firft difcovery ofour elechon is manifefted to us in our beleeviag, M man} (faith the text) M were ordained to eternal life ~ beleeved. · Act.I3• 48 . 2. There is a work of fanB:ifying grace upon the heart, and this is a feale of the.Spint alto ; for whom t re Spirit fanCl:ifieth, he faveth. The Lord ~ol!'eth who t~tre his~ faith the Apofile, ay, . but how thould we know tt? why, by th1s feale; as it follows, :z. Ttm.M9. let ever} a:-te th~t nameth the 1{3me of the ·Lord dep;~rt from iniS ffff 2 quity;

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