NNW Ver. 9. the 8th Cbrlpter of the ROMANS. 85 fee how they are beloved of God, and minded by him upon all occafions: the effects of. the fpirit are life, holiness, faith, strength, joy, comfort, and peace; he enligh6eth our understanding, confirmeth our faith, and affures us of falvation; exciteth us to prayer, ftirreth up holy defires and, motions, comforteth us in crofles, awakeneth us in groans af- ter heaven. Now thole that have fuch confiant experience of the illuminating, fanOffy- ing,quickning work of the fpirit on their fouls, cannot but know what kind of fpirit dwelleth and ,worketh in them. 4. The faníliffing fpirit is the furefi note of our reconciliation with God, as that which will not deceive us ; when he fan &ifieth, he is pacified towards us, Heb. r 3. 20, 21. Non* the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lordjefur, the great Jbepherd of the 'seep, through the blood of the everlafting covenant, make you perfrtl in everygood work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleafng in his fight. And i Thef g. 23. The very God of peace famWfie you wholly in body, foul, and fpirit. 2 Cor. 5. 17, i8. If any . man be in Chris', he is a new creature : old things are pafféd away , behold all things are become new. And allthings are of God, who hath reconciled us to bimfelf by Jefas Christ''. A man lieth open to delusions by other evidences, and may be long enough without true and folid comfort. 4. From Gods confiant governsnent.Bqt there is a twofold way of Providence by which he governeth the world, or elfe conduletk.fouls to glory : There is an external fort of government, by profperities, and adversities, and aflli &ions, and worldly bleffings ; now thefe have their ufe, to invite us to obedience, and to caution us against fin; but thefe things are not difpenced as fure evidences of Gods love and hatred, Ecclefg.2. Worldly good things may be given in anger, leftmen should be marked out by their outward con- dition, rather than the difpohtion of their fouls ; God would not diftinguifh the good by the bleflings of his common providence, nor brand and mark out the bad by their af- flidions. Therefore thefe mercies that run in the channel of common providence, are difpenced promifcuoully. But God hath another way of internal government, carried on within the foul by troubles of conscience for fin, and the comforts of a good confci- ence as the reward of obedience. Now in this fort of Government, the influence of the fpirit is mainly Peen; God fheweth his anger or his love, his pleafure or difpieafure, by giving and withholding the fpirit : When he is pleafed we have the Teftirnony of it in our Çonfciences by the prefence and comforts of the fpirit when difpleafed, he withdraweth the fpirit, this is reward and punishment; the acceffés and. receffés of the fpirit, if we have finned, Pfal. ç 1. I0. Cafl me not away from thy prefence , and take not shy holy fpirit from me. The retaining and withholding the fpirit is one of the greatelt calamities in the world , v. r 1. renew a right fpirit in me; 12. and uphold me by thy frée fpirit. On the contrary, the rewardof obedience, is the increafe of the fpirit, ICom_' 54. r7. For the kingdom of God is not in meats and drinks, but righteoufitefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy. ghofl. Now this being Gods confiant way of internal government whereby he manifefleth his pleafure or diipleafure by withholding, or withdrawing, or giving out his fpirit, and this a Curer way than the effeils of his external Providence ; I cannot fayGod hateth me, becaufe he denieth earthly bleflmgs, or blafteth them when bestowed: This may be for other reafons than to manifeft his anger or hatred_: I can- not fay, God loveth nie becaufé Í enjoy outward profperity 5bùt if I have the fpirit, that is'never given in anger. r. Z7 S E is Toperfwade us to feek after the prefence of the fpirit in our hearts. 'Tic not enough to be baptized, to have the common Faith and Profeffion of Christians no, we Mutt alto have the fpirit of Chrift; for while we are carnal, we are Christians on- ly in the Letter ; two things I will preis you to, To receive and retain him, to get him and keep him. T. Get him ; See that he be entred into your hearts, ed recover your fouls to God, John 3. g. See that you be born again of water, and of the Spirit. And not only'fo, but get in increafe and fupply of the Spirit of Jefus Chrifl, Phil. i. 17. Through your pray, err,and the supply of the Spirit of Jefus Chrift: Seek more of the Spirit, and lofe hint not in part, nor in whole; quench not the fpirit, Eph. 4. 30. To encourage you, confi- der, God is ready to give the holy fpirit, Luke I r. 53. And Chrift hath purchafed it, that it might not be (bed on us in a fparing manner, Tit. 3. q, 6. 'Tis applied to us by the Word, or Gofpeil- Difpenfation, 2 Cor. 3. 18. giaptifm hash its ufe, Tit. 3. 5. It doth Rot
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