A~ Expofttion of the Epiftle --~~-.~--;---;--;----;: ·-------- ~ fhe word here is, in the Original, .,;.;,...fl'•f«, of that Promife, (he hath pur Ser, XVI. the Article to every word,) ~fi.-,&:,..n,that Spirir,.,;,_b'fl'•i~<, of that Promtft, W""V"'W namely of [eating, to feal Behevers. Therets_ a fpec1al Prom1fe (my Bre~hren) unto Believers that they lhall have the Spwtt to feal them, 1f they fue 1t OLJt. Many want it; but there is a l'romife for ir,_ that fame •4th of .Joh11 which I quoted before. The Apo!lles, they were Beluvers, ver.1 . they had the Spirit dwelling io them, ver. '7· yet he promifeth them the Spirit both in ver. x6,1.Q. and 2 6. He cloth not promife him as a SmtE!ijier,but under the notion aod in the oame of a Comforter; not only as one that lhould give Gifts to them and make themApofl/u,but lhould comfort them.They believed already; butt-hat the Holy GhoO: lhould come unto them a5 aComforter; here was a fpecial Promife yet to be fulfilled. Look into AE/.1.4,). and you lhall find this to be true; he biddeth them there wait at Jmljalem for the Promifeof the Father, which (faith he) yol' have heardof me; for .JJJh11 haptized witkWattr, hut ; •ott (faith he) /hall he haptizrdwith the Holy Ghojl, 110t many days hence. And O:ill obferve it, for it is fpoken of him as a Comforter; forfo ChnO: prom1fed him, though mdeed he c~me with enlargement of Gifts upon them too as Apofiles, You will fay, The Apoflles had this Promife, who were extraordinary men ; have Believers the fame? Read firO: AEI. 2. B• Saith he, Chrifl hing afcended, and having receivedof the Father the p_romtfr of the Holy Ghofl, he hathfhed forth this which ye now j'eea!tt/hear. TheywerefiHedwiththeHolyGhojl, M with Wine, (as the A– pofiles exprellion is in theEpheftans,) fo that tht§ Jaid thry werednwk. But doth this belong to Believers? See what he faith to the men that were pricked in their heart, ver.J8. Repmt tlltd he 6aptized every o11e ofy·ot~, in the Name of .1eftU Chrifl,for the remilfion of fins; (that is, for ajJi1rance of remilfion; foro– therwife a man muO: believe before he be baptized, for fo they did, and fo they were, as appeareth ver. 4'· Thry th,zt gl,;d!y received the word were haptized, or they lhould be baptized, that they might receive the remipion, or the aiTurance of the remillion of their fins,) andye /ball receive the gift of the Holy Ghofl : For (faith he) the Promife (mark it, that Promife. that was made to us, and you have fcen fulfilled to us)it i& u11to you andtoyotlr Chitdren;tmdto aH that are afar off. (to theGmtiles alar off to the end of the world,) and evmto as mmJ_ll as the Lordor1r Godjball call, Mark that, to all Believers. There is a Promife of it, you may fue it out; and therelore you !hall find, Gai.J. '4· there is mention of the receiving ofthe Promife of the Spirit after believing,That they might receive (faith he) the promife of the Spirit through Faith, What promife of the Spirit is it that a man receiveth through Faith? A man muO: have the Spirit to work Sandification, (mark that;) then to have the Spirit as a work of Faith, as a be– ginner of Sandification, cannot be the meaning of it: but there is an eminent Promife yet to be fulfilled lo Believers, for they received the pr.omife of the Spi– rit through Faith. What Promife of the Spirit is that? The Spirit as a Sealer, the Spirit as a Comforter; for fo he was promifed to the Difciples after they be– lieved. What is the Obfervation from thence? Plainly this; You that are Believers, wait for a further promife of the Holy Ghqfl as a Sealer, and fue it out with God ; for you fee here the great Promife, ·it is the promife of the Spirit as~ Se~ler. So you iliall find AEI. 1 + that the A· poO:Ies were to wait for the Promi(e of t~ Spirit: fo do you. My Brethren, thofe that did receive th~ word glaqly, (as the Text faith, At1. 2 . 4'.) had a promifeof the Holy Ghofltobe Cl!peded as a Comforter, as a Sealer, as the place there evidently implieth. Though you have feme joy wrought in you by Faith, yet there is rome further Promife flill to be expec!led, For the Promi{e (faith he) u to)'Otl, andto aD that are afa.r off, evm to as many as the Lordfha/1 call. You lhallfind in Joh.7•J8. (that I may not O:and reckoning up many places,) that our Saviour ChriO: faith, He that 6t!ievetko11 me, as the Script11re faith, out of his btlly jba/J .flow rivers of livi11g waetr, (of water to comfort and refrelh him.) Bflt this [pa!u he (faith he) of the Spirit, which they that believe on ~imjhottld rectivr; for the Holy Ghof/ ~asnot ytgivm, (mark) becaufo th,tt .J•f'ls wm 110~ ytglorified, My Bretbren, Let me I'Cnt that notipn to you, for I be·
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=