20 DISCOURSES as them. For this they do, and ought to do, even of -_ ter they have received him. His continuance with them, bis evidencingand manifestation of himself in and to them, are the design of their continued supplications for him. is it merely external operations of the Spirit in grace that they desire herein? Do they not always pray for his ineffable presence and inhabitation? Will any thoughts of grace or mercy relieve or satisfy them, if once they apprehend that the Holy Spirit is not in them, er doth not dwell with them? Although they are not able to form any conceptions in their minds of the man- ner of his presence and residence in them, yet is it that which they pray for, and without the apprehension whereof by faith, they can have neither peace nor con- solation. The promise hereof being confined unto be- lievers, those that are truly and really so, as we shewed before, it is their experience whereby its accomplish- ment is to be judged; and not the presumption of such, by whom both the Spirit himself, and his whole work is despised. 8. And this inhabitation is that whichprincipally our Lord Jesus Christ directeth his disciples to expect in the promiseof him. He dwelleth in you, and shall be inyou, John. xiv. 17. He doth so who is the Com- forter, the Spirit oftruth: or, as it is emphatically ex- pressed, chap. xvi. 13. Ile, the Spirit of truth. He ispromised unto, and he inhabits them that do believe. So it is expressly affirmed towards all that are partakers of this promise, Rom. viii. 9 " Ye are not in the <s flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God " dwells in you." Ver. 11. " The Spirit of him that C raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you. The <f Holy Spirit dwelleth in us," 1 Tim. iii. 14. " I-Ie " that is in us, is greater than he that is in the world." 1 John iv. 4. And many other express testimonies there are unto the same purpose. And whereas the subject of these promises and propositions is the Holy Ghost himself, the person of the Holy Ghost, and that so ex- pressed as not to leave any pretence for any thing else, and not his person to be intended: Andwhereas nothing is ascribed unto him that is unreasonable, inconvenient unto him in the dischargeof his office, or inconsistent with any of his divine perfections, but rather what is every way suitable unto his work, and evidently demon- strativeof his divine nature and subsistence: It is both irrational and unsuitable to the economy of divine grace to wrest these expressions into a lower, meaner, figurative ON TIM signification: and I am persuaded that it is contrary to the faith of the catholic church of true believers so to do. For however some of them may not have exercised their minds about the manner of the abode of the Holy Spirit with the church, and some of them when they hear of his personal indwelling, wherein they have not been duly instructed, do fear it may be, that indeed that cannot be, which they cannot comprehend, and that some evil consequences may ensues upon the admittance of it, although they cannot say what they are: yet it is with them all even an article of faith, that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in the church, that is them that truly be- lieve, and herein have they an apprehension of such a personal presence of his as they cannot conceive. This therefore being so expressly, so frequently affirmed in the scripture, and the comfort of the church, which depends thereon being singular and eminent, it is unto . me an important articleof evangelical truth. 4. Although all the principal actings of the Holy Spirit in us, and towards us as a Comforter, do depend on this head, or flow from this spring of his inhabita- tion, yet in the confirmation of its truth, 1 shall here name one or two, by which itself is evidenced, and its benefits tinto the church declared. (1.) This is the sprig of his gracious operations in us. So our Saviour himself declares it: Thewater that I shallgive unto him, shall be in hies a well of water springing up into everlasting life, John iv. 14. The water here promised is the Holy Spirit, called the gift of God, ver. 10. This is evident from that parallel place, John vii. 38, 39. where this living water is plain, ly declared to be the Holy Ghost. And this water which is given unto any, is to be in him, and there to abide, which is but a metaphorical expression of the in, habitation of the Spirit, For it is to be in himas a well, as a living fountain, whichcannot be spoke ofany gracious habit whatever. No quality in our minds canbe a spring of living water, Besides, all gracious habits are effects of the operation of the Holy Spirit, and therefore they. are not the well itself, but belong unto the springingof it up in living waters. So is the Spirit in his indwell- ing distinguished from all his evangelical operations of grace, as the well is distinct from the streams that flow from it.. .And as it is natural and easy for a spring of living waters to bubble up, and put forth refreshing streams; so it bçlongs unto the consolation of believers,. to know how easy it is unto the HolySpirit, how ready
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