o6 ofthe ordinary influence of the Holy Ghofi, Vol. YI. until the redemption of the purchafed po/feffon. And Chap. 4. 3o. And grieve not the holy fpirit of God wherebiyye are fettled unto the day of redemption. q. By this Spirit we have free accefs to God in Prayer, in cónfidence that we (hall have our Petitions granted, Ephef 2.18. For through him, that is through Je- fus Chrift, we both have an accefs, by one Spirit unto the Father. By the fame Spirit likewife we are aflifted in our Prayers to God, and directed what to afk of him. So St. Paul tells us, Rom. 8:26. that we donot know what to pray for as we ought, but the fpirit helpeth our infirmities, and intercedethfor us, that is, fuggefts to us fuch Petitionsand Requefts as are fit for us to put up to God; 6. By the fame Spirit joy andpeace in believing, and from theTeftirnony of a good Confcience, great confolation andgood hope through Grace, are frequently in- ftill'd into us, and flied abroad in our Hearts. Hence are thofe expreflions fo fre- quent in Scripture, of the confolation of the Spirit, of peace and joy in the Holy Ghoft, which, as it is the natural Fruit of Righteoufnefs, fo it is likewife pro- duced and increafed in us, by the fecret operationand influence of God's Holy Spirit. 7. And la/ily, By the fame Spirit Chriftians are fupportedand born tip, cheat- ed and comforted in all their troubles and afiliftions, and that in a very extraordi- nary and fupernatural manner, when they fall under great Tribulations and Suffe- rings for Righteoufnefs fake. And this influence and affiftance of the divine Spirit, was very vifible and remarkable among the PrimitiveChriftians, whowere fo terribly expofed to the moft fierce and cruel Perfecutions and may propor- tionably be expelled in all cafes of extraordinary fuffering for the tefliniony of God'sTruth. And tho' this influence and affiftance, this condull and guidance of the divine Spirit, be commonly very gentle and fecret, and do ufually work upon us in fo imperceptible a manner, that it is very hard, if not impoflìble, particularly to di- ftinguifh between the motions of .God's Spirit, and thofe of our own minds, be- tween the immediatefuggeftions of the Holy Ghoft, and the Mates of our own reafon, yet we are in general fufficiently allured of it, partly from the effefts themfelves, but principally from the exprefs promife anddeclarations of Scripture, that Chriftians are aIled by a fupernatural Principle, and fecretly affifted by the influence of a Spirit above our own : And therefore we have reafon, as theScrip- ture conflantly does, to afcribe all the good that is in us, or that is done by us, rio this gracious affìftanee and powerful influence of the HolySpirit of God upon eat. Minds, and thankfully to acknowledge that in us, that is, in our flefh, in our car- nal Minds confidered as deftitute of the Spirit of God, there dwells nothing that is good; and that by the grace of God we are what we are, and are enabled to do all the good we do through Chrifi flrengthning of us by his Spirit in: the inner Man. I proceed to the Fourth and lafl thing I propofed to confider, viz. The extentof this gift of the HolySpirit of God as to Perfons and Times. And in fhort, this Gift is bellowed upon every particular Chriftian, every fincere Believer, for we receive the promife of the Spirit byfaith; And, If any Man, fays the Apoftle, Rom. 8. g. have not the Spirit of Chrill, he is none of his, that is, he does not belong to him, he is no true Chriftian. And r Car. 3. 16. Knowye not, fays the fame Apoftle, fpeaking of all Chriftians, in general, know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God divelleth inyou ? And that this Gift extends to all Perfons in all Times and Ages of the Church, to all that fincerely embrace the Chriftian Profeflion, and are admitted into it by Baptifm, is plain from that Difcourfe of St. Peter which I had occafion to mention before, Alls 2. 38. Repent, and be baptized every one ofyou, in the name of Jefus Chrifi, for the remijion offins, andye flsall receive thegift of the Holy Gho/l. And that this was not a favour and privilege peculiar to the tirft Ages of Chriftiaui- ty, but common to all fucceeding times, is evident from what follows, ver. 39. But the promife, that is, the great Promi£e of the Holy Ghoft, is unto you, and to your Children, and to all that are afar of, even as many as tine-Lord our God'ball call.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=