These Confiderations, Right Honourable, moved me to difcourfe of the Power of the Holy Spirit coming on all Chriftians, Minifters and People. And, befides the importunity of fome other Friends, your I earnest defires of thefe Notes, hath especially prevailed with me to publifh them. Not that I am worthy to publish any thing, but that the Truth of God is worthy to be published, be the Inftrument never fo mean and unworthy.

And although I well know, the doubtful Succefs of fach Undertakings as thefe, yet in this matter I am not at all careful, being most willing to be bound up in one condition with the Truth of God, and to have with it, the fame common Friends and Enemies; Ber fides, if Chrift dwell in my Heart by Faith, I carry in my bofom already my Reward, out of whom I neither regard Praife or Difpraife, Good or Evil.

Now I was bold to prefix your Name to these Notes, because your Defire of them hath made them yours; and also your many Noble Favours are a strong and continual Engagement for me to ferve you, according to what God hath made me. Efpecially I remember your extraordinary Compaffion, and Bowels towards me, in the Day of my deepest Distress, when my Sout drew near to the Pit, and the fhadow of Death fate upon my eye-lids, and I had not the leaft drop of Comfort either from Earth or Heaven; You then fhewed me the Kindness of the Lord, and encompaffed me both with your Pity and Goodness; though then, through bitterness of Spirit, 1 tafted it not. Wherefore when I remembred the Wonderful Goodness of God to me after fo great Sorrow and Darkness, I cannot forget that part of his Goodmefi, which he was pleased to adminifter to me by your hands; And the remembrance of this, caufes The to pray that God would double the fame Goodness on you, and that he would pour forth upon my Lord, your Honour, your Noble Offspring and Family,

A 4

this

this Power of the Holy Spirit, here treated of: Which fhall render you a thousand times more precious and excellent, before God and bis Saints, than all Worldly Honour and Nobility whatsoever. And by this means fhall Religion fhine in your Family, in its native Beauty and Luftre; and the Kingdom of God, which stands not in Word, but in Power, fhall appear in its Bright Glory among you, till the Kingdom of the Son first fit you, and then after deliver you up to the Kingdom of the Father, and God be all in all, immediately:

Which is the earnest Prayer of your most Humble and Faithful Servant,

William Dell.

CHRIST's

T

THE

CONTENT S.

HE Context.

The Explication of the Words.
Three General Doctrines.

1. That Chrift gives his own People fufficient ftrength for

their imployments; his own ftrength for his own

Works.

2. That when Chrift leaves bis People in regard of Senfe, be
never leaves them without a Promife; and in that Pro-
mife bis Spiritual Prefence.

3. That the pouring forth of the Spirit is the means whereby
God both increases and governs his Church.

The more Special Doctrine from the words, is,

That the receiving of the Spirit, is the receiving of

Power. For the Spirit it felf is Power.

1. Effentially in it self.

2. Operatively in us. By being in us.

1. A Spirit of Knowledge,

2. of Truth.

3. of Wisdom.

4. Of Faith, which inables us Indure the fame things with

To do,

Chrift himself.

1. Minifters ftand in need of the Power of the Spirit to

come upon them.

1. Because, without they have this Power, they are deftiture

of all Power.

2. Without this Power, they are infufficient for the Work

of the Miniftery; as being unable.

1. To Preach the Word, that is, the true Spiritual and living

Word of God.

2. To Preach it zealously and powerfully; But without this

prefence of the Spirit of Power.

1. Their Miniftry is cold and hath no Heat in it.

2. Weak, and bath no Strength in it.

3. To perfevere in their Miniftery, and to carry it on against

all Oppofition and Contradition.

4. To reprove the World of Sin. For the Spirit of Fulg

ment, muft needs be accompanied with the Spirit of might.

To incounter and overcome the Devil.

6. To inable them to be comfortable and invincible against all

Evils and Enemies.

2. Chriftians; this Spirit of Power, and Power of the Spi-
rit is neceffary for all Chriftians, as well as Minifters.

Object. But do all Chriftians receive the Spirit of God, as

well as Minifters?

Anjw. Yes, equally and alike; without any Difference.

Now this Spirit of Power is neceffary for them,

3. To distinguish them from Reprobates and Devils.

2. To exalt them above all the rest of Mankind who are defti-

zure of the Spirit.

3. To Unite them unto Chrift.

And

And the Power of the Spirit is neceffary for them,

1. To change their Natures; which is the daily work of the

Spirit, till all be renewed.

2. To work Grace in them; and each Grace, is so much of

the power of the Spirit in the fiefh.

3. To inable them to mortifie Sin; and the Power of the

Spirit mortifies,

1. The whole Body of Sin in all its Parts

and Members, and

2. Each Particular strong Corruption.

4. To Perform Duties. For no more strength in any Duties

than of the Spirit in them.

5. To confefs the Word before Kings, and Magistrates.

1. In private,

6. To Publifh the word, and that both, 2. In publick, in

cafe of neceffuy.

7. To fuffer and overcome affliction.

Natural ftrength, withdraws it felf from the Evil.
Spiritual ftrength, ftands to it, and overcomes it.

The Second Ufe, is for Information, and Inftruction;
fhewing that the way to obtain this Power, is to ob-
tain the Spirit; and to encrease this Power, is to
encrease the Spirit.

Now that we may obtain the Spirit, we must firft pre-

pare our felves.

Wherein this Preparation doth not confift.

Wherein it doth confift; that is, 1. In emptying us.

2. The Work of the Spirit after he hath emptied us, is

to fill us.

The Means through which the Spirit is conveyed to us.