Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

r6& D ortrimt. té 2. The Saints Spirit nail flrength. thing to doe it, but it changes not his heart a- while they may take a refolution to good, and to be better, but yet to change his owne heart,is not in his owne power, for this is the worke of the holy Ghoft : thus much for this ufe and for this point. Wee now come unto a third point, the Apo - (lle faith , That Bee would give you to bee firength- ned by the spirit in the inward man , noting thus much, that God mull give them the Spirit be- fore they could have him : the point of D3trine is this. That the Spirit is a five giftt I fay, that the fan - c`lifying Spirit is a free gift. I gather it thus, the Apofile heere prayes that God would give them the Spirir, not that they had deferved him, and fo fhould have him by merit, as the Ppif reach,but he muff give it them freely without defert of their owne. I need not to (land long in the prooving ofir, that the Spirit is a free gift , oncly I will briefely fhow you how the Spirit is a free gift,and this (hall be in there five particular things. Firfl,the Spirit is a free gift, and it mull be free, becaufe it is a gift; and what more free as we ufe to fay,then a gift : Now it is a free gift, becaufe it is not merited by us at Gods hands, it is not ex- torted and drawne from God by force, nor meri- ted by elefert, becaufe all the good that is in us is wrought by God, it is God that puts the fiat fiampe of holineflè upon us. Secondly , the Spirit is a free gift, becaufe the Spirit

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