Ser r,,:: 6.0 The Efficacy ofPrayer, Vol.IIs What a comfortable confideration is this, to be fo fully allured of God's readinefs to beftow all good things upon his Children , and even his Holy Spirit, if we afk it of him? and what an encouragement is here to confiant and fervent Prayer to God, who will not deny us theGift ofhis Holy Spirit, if we heartily and earneftly beg it of him ? and what an encouragementis here likewife to the refolutions and endeavours of a good life, that fo powerful an affiftance is fo freely offer'd to us, to enable us to run the ways ofGod's Commandments ; that God bath promifed his Ho- ly Spirit to refide and dwell in us, to be a principle of fpiritual life to us, and to enable us to all the purpofesof Obedience and a holylife? And what infinite caufe have we to biefs God for the Gift of his Holy Spirit; and to fay with St. Paul, Bleed be Godfor his unfpeakablegift. That he hath given his Holy Spirit to his Church, at firft in miraculous Powers and Gifts for the Preaching of the ChriftianReligion in theworld, and ever fence in fuch degrees of of i- Rance, as were necelfary in the feveral Ages ofthe Church, for the preferva- tion of the Chriftian Religion in the world; that he hath given his HolySpirit to every particular Member of his Church, for the fanftifying and renewing of our natures tofirengtben us to everygoodword and work, and to keep us by bis -mighty power through faith unto Salvation. And this fandifying virtue of theHoly Ghoft, enabling us to do the will of God, is more than any miraculous Powers whatfoever. So our Saviour tells us, Match. 7. 212 22, 23. Not every one that faith untome, Lord, Lord, fball enter into the Kingdom ofHeaven : but he that loth the willof myFather which in Heaven. Many will fay to mein that day, Lord, Lord, bavewe not prophefsed in thy Name? andin thy Name have caft out Devils ?. and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will Iprofefs unto them, Inever knewyou : departfromme, ye that work ini- quity. Men may do wonders by the Power of the HolyGhoft, andyet be Phut out ofthe Kingdom of Heaven ; only they that are affifted by the Spirit of God to do the Will of God (hall be admitted into Heaven. And this is matter of greater joy and comfort to us, than to work thegreateff wonders, and to have Power over Devils, to caft them out of the Bodies of Men, Luke to. 20. Rejoyce not in this, faith our bleffed Saviour , that the Spirits are madefubjeft to you, but rejoyce in this , that your names are written in Heaven. How is that ? The fan&ifying virtue of God's Spirit is the pledge and earnefi of our heavenly Inheritance, and that whereby we are fealed to the day of Redem- ption. S E RMON CXCIX. The Efficacy of Prayer , for obtaining the Holy Spirit. St. LUKE XI. i 3. nowmuch more hall your heavenly.Father give the holy fpirit to them that ask him ? N Difcourfing on thefe words, I propos'd, Firfi, To endeavour to Phewwhat is comprehended in the Gift ofthe Holy Spirit, mention'd inmy Text, and how great a Blefling and Benefit it is. z Secondly,
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