Serm.CXCVIII. forobtaining theHoySpirit. 647 full for the overflowings of his bounty, and can never impair his eftate, nor impo- verifhhimfelfby conferring of his bleffings and benefits upon others? 2. If we compare the nature of the gifts. If earthly Parents that are evil, bé ready to bellow good things upon their Children, things neceffary and convenient only for their bodies and this life ; how much more confidently may we believe the good God inclined to bellow upon his Children the bell things, things necelfary for their Souls, and conducing to their eternal life and happinefs ? So that in the handling of thefe words, I (hall Firfl, Endeavour to Chew what is comprehended in this Gift of the HolySpirit, and how great a Bleffing and Benefit it is. Secondly, What kind of afking is here required. Thirdly, To confirm and illuftrate the Truth of this Propofition , that God is very ready to give the Holy Spirit to them that aft: him. Fourthly, To remove a confiderable Obje&ion to which this Difcourfe mayfeem liable, And, Fifthly, To make fome practical Application of it to our felves. Firf, I fhall Phew what is comprehended in this Gift of the Holy Spirit, and how great a Blefling and Benefit it is. St. Matthew expreffeth this fomewhat diffe- rently, Chap. 7 11. How much morefhallyour Father which is in Heaven givegod things to them that ask him ? Which comparedwith the exprefhon here inSt. Luke, doth intimate to us that the Spirit of God is the chiefofBleffings , or rather the fern of.all good things. ThePromife here in theText is not expreft fo generally as it is in St. Matthew ; but our Evangelift inftanceth in the greateft Gift that God can bellow upon his Children ; the Gift of his Holy Spirit, which is indeed the chief of all other, the Sum and Comprehenfion of all Spiritual Bleflìngs; for it contains in it the Prefence and Refidence, the continual Influence and Affiftanceof God's Holy Spirit upon the minds ofMen , together with all the bleffed Fruits and Effelts of it, in the fanfrifying and renewing of our Hearts, in all thofe particu- lar Graces and Virtues, which are in Scripture called The Fruits ofthe Spirit ; in Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and joy in the Holy Chad, infealing us up to the day of redemption, and in being apledge ofour future inheritance, and of a bleffedRefur- reaion to eternal life. All thefe are mentioned in Scripture, as the Fruits and Ef- fells of God's Holy Spirit, and therefore it will come within the compafs of this Promife concerning the Gifts of God's Spirit; Howmuch more Pallyour heavenly Father, &c. And which I delire may be efpecially confidered, becaufe it will conduce very much to the clearing of force difficulties in my following Difcourfe. By the Gift of God's Holy Spirit, is not only meant the common and tranlient Ope- rations of God's Spirit upon the mindsof Men, exciting and difpofing them to that which is good ; (for thus the Spirit was given to Men in all Ages from the begin- ning ofthe world) but the fpecial Prefence and Refidence, the permanent and con- tinued influence and condu& of God's Holy Spirit, as a confiant and powerful principleof fpiritual life and activity in good men; in which fenfe the Scripture tells us, that the Holy Ghoft refades and dwells in believers, that they live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, and are ledby the Spirit : for this Phrafeof thegiv- ing ofthe Holy Ghokl, or ofGod's Spirit, does always (I think) in the NewTefla- ment, liignifeeither the miraculousand extraordinaryGifts conferred upon theApo- files and primitive Chriflians, in order to the effeduai planting and Propagating of the Gofpel, and fo it is ufed this 5.32. where St.Peter fays, that theHolyGhß, whom Godhad given to them that obey him, was a witnefs of the Refurreflionand Afcenfion ofour Saviour, that is, gave teflimony and confirmation thereto : or elfe for the fpecial Refidence, and continual Influence andAfhftance ofGod's HolySpi- rit in and upon the minds of good men, And fo we find this phrafe frequently ufed, Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is flied abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghoff which isgiven unto acs ; meaning for the ftrengthning and aflìftance of believers to all patience and long fufferingunder the Perfecutions which attended them ; for fo the Apoflle reafons, We glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation workethpati- ence , andpatience experience, and experience hope, and hope maker') not afhamed, becaufe
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