174 The Saints Spirituell flrength. 3. Meanes. his fruit: the branch cannot beare fruit, except it receive vertue and ftrength from the root;fo if we get not faith in Chrift, and be joyned with him, wee flail never get the fpirit : therefore if you would get the fpirit, you mutt get faith : for faith is the knitting and drawing grace, it will draw the fpirit into the Soule, and it will knit him fait unto the Soule, that he can never depart away from it : faith will recover the Spirit if it feeme to want his power of working in the foule, it will returne him if he feeme to depart away,it will enlarge the heart if the fpirit be fcanted in ir, it will widen the nar- row bottle of your hearts ; and you know what Chrift Paid unto the woman in the Gofpel, So be it unto thee according unto thy faith; therefore if you would get the fpirit, you mutt get faith in your hearts, if you would get a large meafure of the fpirit, then get a large meafure of faith : for what is the reafon that men thrive not in the fpirit, but becaufe they thrive not in faith. The third meanes to get the fpirit, is an earneft defire,joyned with prayer: to &fire and pray ear - nefily for the fpirit, is a meanes to get the fpirit : an intlance of this wee have in El fha, fervant to Eliah; he earneftly defires and prayesthat the Spi- rit of F_liah his matter might bee doubled upon him : not that hee meant that bee might have of much more againe, but that bee might have a greater meafure of the Spirit, then other of the Prophets; and hee did obtain: his delire, for bee was indeed with, a greater meafure of the Spirit, then
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