ER. 16. ephean.r, Chap.3. It ftrengthens us by putting a new life into the wholeman,chan- 2. ging him, making him a new man, a living man in Chrift. As foone as he is made a member of Chrift, life is infufed into hirn,asfrom the root into the branches: As the foule is to the body, fo is the fpirit to the foule. The fpirit furnifheth every faculty, it enlightneth the underftanding, it redtifies the will, it fanelifieda the affeekions, it filleth a man with joy , fear, love, and all fpirituall graces which give ftrength to the inner man. The Spirit ftrengthens us by giving efficacy and ftrength to all meanes of growth: The meanes are fitted to encreafe the ftrength of the inner man: as the fume and raine are fit to make plants to grow , but they mutt have Gods blotting. Phyficke is fit to cure, bread to nourifh, but unleffe God bidde phyficke heale, and 'inleffe God bidde bread nourifh us, they cannot doe it : So the Word, Sa- craments and Prayer, though they are meanes of encreafing graces, yet without the Spirit, they are nothing. The Word without the Spi. tit, is but a fword without a hand to ufe it, but as a Pen without Inke, which will not write : Fearemanifell to be the Epiß e of chrifl, . Cor.i.a miniftred by uw, written not with lake, but with the Spirit of the living God. Prayer will edifie, but it muff be Prayer in the Holy Ghoft : Edi- fe your (elves in your holy Faith, praying in the holy Gholi. So God ?udever.,,. promifeth his Church that he willpotere water upon the dryground, that is. the heart that before was hard and barren in grace, (hall now fpring up andgrow ftrong, and this fhall ,be when 1 will pure mySpirit upon i 50 44 3, them. Wherefore when we are in any evill, and doe hang the wing by' v'. reafon of it, wee rauft cry to God for this Spirit of his, if wee get this, wefhall like David fay, that wee could leap over a wall, breake through armies of enemies, and rife Conquerors over all adverfe power and oppofitions. It is withus as with a bladder, while that a man doth blow it up, and keep his breathinclofed in it , you may throw it on the waters, it will not finke : So while God doth breath his Spirit, we (hall fwimme above all the waters ofafiliEtions, in which we are drenched : Nothing buthis Spirit can bearethee up. ThePhilofophers, who went as farro as nature could commonly goe in precepts of bearing and forbearing, when their mindes grew to fore difcontent, ended their dayes with felfe-murder: For without the Spirit worke it in us, therecan be no true ftrength which will not file us when we are tryed. What would a man delire either for the outwardor inward man, but ifhe have the Spirit, he (hall obtaine it Would a man be enabled to pray,tobear loffes and croffeseWould, a man beable to matter particular luftsr Is a man in bondage, and would be fet at liberty from fine Is a man fpirituallydead, and would find quickningg lifer Is aman fpiritually affrighted with fin,and would gladly be raifed to comfort a Would a man beleeve ! walke as a Chriftian, and be enabled toevery good worke a then let him get the N n Spirit, 3. 4
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