overcome, by this only Power of the Spirit coming upon them. Thus we ftand in need of the Power of the Spirit, to overcome Affliction and Perfecution; and how much Power we have in Affliction and Perfecution, to indure them and overcome them, just fo much of the Power of the Spirit we have, and no more.

And thus alfo, have I declared unto you, what Neceffity all Chriftians have, of the Power of the Spirit, coming on them as well as Minifters. And this was to ftrengthen the Ufe of Exhortation.

2. The fecond Ufe is for Information and Inftruction, after this Manner. If the receiving of the Spirit be the receiving of Power, then it clearly informs us, that the Way to partake of this Power, is to obtain this Spirit; and the Way to increase this Power, is to increase this Spirit. I fhall endeavour to speak to both these Things, and fo fhall conclude.

1. The Way to obtain this Power, is to obtain the Spirit.

And that we may obtain the Spirit, we must first prepare our felves to receive the Spirit.

Now this Preparation doth not ftand (as Papists teach, and many ignorant Perfons among our felves think) in fweeping the Soul from Sin, and then strew ing it with Graces, that fo we may be fit to receive the Spirit.

For firft, the fweeping of the Soul from Sin, is not a Work of our own, before the coming of the Spirit, but a Work of the Spirit it felf, after it is come. For no Flesh can clear the Soul of one Sin, it is the Spirit must do that.

And fecondly, for the ftrewing of the Soul with Grace, neither is this a Work of our own, but a Work of the Spirit it felf, after it is come. For the Spirit it felf brings all Grace with it, and before the coming of the Spirit, there is no Grace at all.

So

So that we cannot, by any Acts of our own, prepare our felves to receive the Spirit; but only by the Spirit we prepare our felves to receive the Spirit: For it is not any Work of our own, upon our felves, but the immediate Work of the Holy Spirit upon us, that can make us fit to receive himfelf. It lies wholly in his own Power and Goodness, first to prepare in us a Place for himself, and then after to receive and entertain hima felf in that Place he hath fo prepared. Now the Works of the Spirit, whereby he firft prepares us for himself and then entertains himself in us, are these two efpecially:

1. He empties us; and 2. he fills us with himself, whom he hath made empty.

1. He empties us: And this emptying, is the first and chief Work of the Spirit upon the Elect, whereby he prepares them to receive himself. For the more empty a Man is of other Things, the more capable he is of the Spirit. If you would fill a Veffel with any other Liquor than it holds, you muft firft empty it, of all that is in it before; if you would fill it with Wine, you must first empty it of all that is in it before; if you would fill it with Wine, you must empty it of Beer or Water, if any fuch Liquor be in it. For two material Things cannot poflibly fubfift in the fame Place, at the fame Time, the Subftances of each being fafe and found. And fo if the Holy Spirit who is God, must come into us, all mortal and unstable Creatures, together with Sin and our felves, and whatever elfe is in us, muft go forth. Humane Reason, and humane Wisdom, and Righteoufnefs and Power and Knowledge, cannot receive the Holy Spirit; but we must be emptied of thefe, if ever we would receive him.

We must thus fuffer our felves to be prepared by the Spirit, to receive the Spirit; but with this Caution, that when the Spirit of God hath wrought this in us; (H) a

we

we do not attribute it to our felves, as our own Work nor think any Thing of our felves, but defcend into our own meer nothing. Otherwife we fhall be a hinderance to the Spirit, that he cannot work in us after a more excellent manner.

And when a Man is thus empty of himself, and of other Things, then he becomes Poor in Spirit, and fuch the Spirit always fills, and defcends into with a wonderful and unresistible Power, and fills the outer and inner Man, and all the fuperior and inferior faculties of the Soul with himself, and all the Things of God,

And this is the fecond Work of the Spirit, to fill those whom he hath emptied. Now the ufual and ordinary means, through which the Spirit doth this, are

these three:

1. The hearing of the Word preached. But here we muft diftinguifh of the Word. For the Law is the Word of God, but St. Paul faith, that by that Word the Spirit is not given, but by the Word of the Gofpel. And therefore how beautiful are the Feet of them that bring the Gospel of Peace! For nothing is fo fweet and precious as the Word of the Gospel, which brings with it the Holy Spirit. This you may fee Acts 10,44 where it is faid, that whilft Peter yet fpake, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them that beard the Word. And therefore allo the Gofpel is called the miniftration of the Spirit, be caufe as it proceeds from the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives utterance, fo it alfo conveys the Spirit to the faithful. Now the gift of Tongues and Miracles, and other fuch like gifts are at the prefent ceafed in the Church; but the Gift of the Spirit is not ceafed; and this the Lord ftill joyns with the Miniftry of the Gof pel, that he may keep up in our Hearts the due Re fpect of this ordinance, and may preferve us from the Ways of thofe Men, who feek for the Spirit without the Word.

2. Means is Faith in the Word heard. For it is not every one that hears the Word, that receives the Spirit, but only they, that hear with the hearing of Faith. For if thou hear the Word of the Gospel a thousand times, and wantest Faith, thou shalt never receive the Spirit; for unbelief fhuts up the heart against the Spirit, and ever opposes and refifts the Spirit, and never receives it. But Faith opens the Heart to receive the Spirit.

By Faith, we lay hold on Chrift in the Word; and through our Union with Chrift, we obtain the Spirit. For we have not the Spirit immediately in it felf, but in the Flesh of Chrift. And when we by Faith are made the Flesh of Chrift, then we partake of that Spirit, that dwells in the Flesh of Chrift.

Now through these two Things, the Word and Faith, the Spirit communicates to us a new birth, it begets us unto God; and fo we partaking of the Nature of God, partake alfo of the Spirit of God. They that are born of Men, have nothing in them but the Spirit of Men, but they that are born of God, have the Spirit of God That which is born of the Flesh, is Flesh, and hath no Spirit in it; but that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit, and hath Spirit in it. So that there is no means to partake of the Spirit of God, but by being born of God; and the means by which we are born of God, are the Word and Faith.

3. Means is Prayer. For Chrift hath faid, the Spirit is given to them that afk. And the Disciples when they were to receive the promife of the Spirit, continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication, Acts. 1, 14. For God who hath promised to give us his Spirit, hath commanded us to afk it; and when God hath a mind to give us the Spirit, he puts us in mind to afk it; yea God gives us the Spirit, that by it we may ask the Spirit, feeing no Man can ask the Spirit,

(H) 3

but

but by the Spirit. Now in afking the Spirit, there is no Difference, whether we afk it of the Father or of the Son, feeing the Spirit proceeds from both, and is the Spirit of both. And therefore Chrift_promiseth the fending of the Spirit from both. From From the Father, Joh. 14. The Spirit which the Father will fend in my Name. From himself, Joh. 16. Except I go, the Comforter will not come; but if I go, I will send him to you, So that both the Father and the Son give the Spirit, and it is no matter whether we ask him, either of the Father, or of the Son, fo we afk him of the Father in the Son, or of the Son in the Father.

And thus you fee the Way to obtain this Power, is to obtain the Spirit, and alfo by what means this is done.

2. The Way to increafe this Power, is to increase the Spirit, And therefore it is as needful for us, to know the means to increase the Spirit, as to receive it. And they among others, are thefe:

*

1. To continue in the ufe of the Word. As the Spirit is first given by the Word, fo by the fame Word it is increafed; and the more any Chriftian is in the ufe of the Word, the stronger and more vigorous and mighty is the Spirit in him; but the neglect of the Word, is the quenching of the Spirit. Let a Chriftian that is ftrong in the Spirit, neglect the Word a while, and he will foon become weak, and as a Man without ftrength. For the Spirit is not bestowed on us, but through the Word, neither doth it dwell in us, but by the Word; and the more the Word dwells in our Hearts by Faith, the more the Spirit dwells in our Hearts by the Word. And according to the Measure of the Word in us, is the Meafure of the Spirit.

2. To increase Faith. For the more we believe, the more we receive of Chrift; and the more we receive of the Spirit in Chrift. For Faith doth not apprehend

bare