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Supportmentaft

effeé}

of

the Spirit's

Tn-

dwelling,

C.

VIII.

§:

s$,

mind be

a&ually

inlightned,as

to the

Truth

reprefented,

it

is

not

to

be recci

2ór

ved

in

a

fpirituall

manner. Thofewho know

at

all, what

the

Truth

is, as

the

Truth is

i,s

jefus, will

not take it

up

upon

any

other'

more common account;

Somtitnes in

dealing with

Godly

Perlons,

to

convince

`them

of

a

Truth,

we

are ready to admire their Stupidity, or

perverfenefl'e,

that

they

will

not re-

ceive

that,

which

fhines in

with

fo

broad

a

Light upon

our

fpirits.

The truth

is,

untili

the

Holy Spirit fends

forth the

Light and

Power

mentioned;

it

is

impoflible,that their

minds and hearts fhould

reft,and

acquiefce

in

any

Truth

whatever.

But

4.

From this

Indwelling

of

the

Spirit, we have

fupportment:

our Hearts are

g'

23.

very

ready to finke

and

faile

under our tryalls

:'

indeed

a

little

thing

will can

fe

us

fo

to

do:

fleflr,and

heart,and

all

that

is

within

us

are

Toone

ready to

faile.

Pi

.i

3.26.

Whence

is

it,that

we

do not

finke

into the deeps

?

that

we

have

fo

many and

fo

fweet,and gracious Recoveries, when we are ready

to

be fwallowed up

.?

The spirit,that

dwells in

us, gives us fupportment.

Thus

it

was

with

David,

Pfal.51.22.He was ready

to

be overwhelmed

under

a

fence

of

the Guilt

of

that

great

finne,

whichGod then

forely

charged upon

his

Confcience,

and

cryes

out

like

a

man ready

to

finke

under water,

oh uphold

me

with

thy free

spirit,

if

that do

not fupport me,I

fhall perifh

So

Rom.8.26.

The

Spirit-helpetb

bearés

up

thatznfirmity,which

is

ready

to

make

us

go

doubleHow

often fhould

webe overborne with

our burthens,did not

the Spiritput under

his

Power,to

beare them, and

to

fupport

us

?

Thus

Paul affures

himfelfe,

that

he

(hall

he

carried through all

histryalls;

by

the

helps

fiipplyedto

him

by

the

spirit.

Phil.

1.19.

There

are

two

fpeciall waies,whereby

the

Spirit communicates

f

epportnaent

4.

25,

unto

the

Saints

when they are ready

to

finke,

and

that

upon two accounts.

Firth

of

Confolation, and then

of

Strength.

1.

The

firth

he doth

by

bringing

to

mind the things, that

Jefus

Chrift

bath

left

in

ftore for their fupportment.

Our

Saviour

Chrift

informing

his

Difciples; how they

fhould

be

upheld

in

their tribulations,

tells

them, that

the

Cornforter,whichJhould dwell

with

them, and

was

in

th

m,.(Ioh

:i4.56,17.)

fhould bring

to

remembrance,

what

he

had told

them.

v. 26.

Chrift had

faid

many

things, things

gracious and

heavenly, to

his

Difciples

:

He had given them

many

rich

and

pretiom

Promifes,

to

uphold their hearts in their

greatefF

per-

plexities; Bnt knowing

full well

how ready they were to forget , and

to

let

flip

the

things

that

were

fpoken,

and how coldly

his

Prornifes would come

in

Heb.

2

Y=

to

their

aflìfhance,

when retained only

in

their natural]

faculties

,

and

made

ufe

of

by their owne fhrength;

to obviate

thefe evills, tells them

,

that

this

work

he

cominitteth to the

charge

of

another,who will doe

it

to

the purpof-

When

ye

are ready

to

drive

away

the

Comforter

(faith he)

who

is

in

you

,he

(hall

bring

toRemembrance,&

apply

to your

foules,the things

that

I

have

fpo-

ken, thePromifes that

I

have made

,

which will

then be

unto

you

,

as Life,

from

the dead.

And this he

doth

every

day;

How

often,

when

the

Spirits

of

the

Saints

are ready

to

faint within them

,

when

lhraites

and perplexities are

round

about

them,

that

they know

not

what

to doe, nor

whether

to

apply

themfelves for helpe

or

fupportnent

,

loth

the

Spirit,

that

dwelleth

in them,

bring

to

mind force feafonable, fuitable

Promife

of

Chrifh,

that

hears them

up quite above

their

difficulties

and diftra

&ions,

opening

fuch

a

new fpring

of

Life and

Confolation

to their

foules,

as

that

they, who

but now

fhooped;

yea

were almoft

bowed to the ground,doe

Rand

upright,

and

feele

no weight or

burthenat

all.

Often times

they

goe for

Water

to

the well,

and are not

able

to

draw; or

if

it be powred out upon them, it

comes

like raine

on

a

flick,

that

is

fully

dry. They

feeke

to Prouiifes for refrefhment, and

find

no more

D

d

favour