Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The Spirit in the Covenant.
3 GOd hath put his Spirit into the Covenant; the Almighty, the Eternal Spirit; the Holy Spirit, the ſpirit of Glory and of God.
This Holy and eternal Spirit is firſt poured forth on our head, the Lord Jeſus; to annoint him our Redeemer, to furniſh and qualifie him for that great undertaking, Iſa. 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon mee, becauſe hee hath annointed mee to preach good tidings to the meek, &c. Iſa. 11.2,3,4. I will put my Spirit into him, the ſpirit of Wiſdome and Ʋnderstanding, and of the fear of the Lord, Iſa. 11.2.
And hee is promiſed to each member, Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, To all theſe hee is granted,
1. As a Spirit of VViſdome and Revelation.
2. As a Spirit of Holineſs and Sanctification.
3. As a Spirit of Truth and Direction.
4. As a Spirit of Comfort and Conſolation.
1. As a Spirit of Wiſdome and Revelation, Epheſ. 1.17,18. To enlighten them, to open their blinde eyes, and to ſhine into their hearts; to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, that they may know what the hope of his calling is, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. To counterwork the ſpirit of this world, whoſe work is to blinde mens eyes, leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel ſhould ſhine unto them, 2 Cor. 4.4,5,6.
This is hee by whom the Father hath called us out of darkneſs into his marvellous light. 1 Pet. 2.9. the light that the ſpitit brings in, is a marvellous light, and that in three reſpects:
1. It is a marvellous thing that ever light ſhould come into ſuch dark ſouls. That thoſe that were born blinde, and upon whom the god of this world had for many years together been trying his skill, to thicken their darkneſs, to encreaſe and ſeal them up under it; that ever ſuch eyes ſhould bee opened, and the light of life ſhould ſhine in upon ſuch hearts; this is a marvellous thing. When our Lord Jeſus in the dayes of his fleſh, opened the eyes of thoſe that had been born blinde, the people ran together, and wondred at the ſight. If you ſhould ſee ſtones to live, if you ſhould ſee dead ſtocks, or dry bones to walk up and down the ſtreers; if you ſhould ſee Trees, or Houſes, or Mountains full of eyes; this were not more full of wonder, than to behold blinde ſinners receiving their ſight. Thou wert once darkneſs, art thou now light in the Lord? ſtand and wonder at thy cure.
2. They are marve…lous things, which this light diſcovers 'Tis a wonder that ſuch eyes ſhould ever ſee, and they ſee wonders. The Goſpel is a Myſtery full of wonders: There are heights and depths, and lengths, and breadths. Wee have ſeen ſtrange things to day. Strange love, ſtrange grace, wonderful wiſdome, wonderful pitty, patience, mercy; wonderful providences, wonderful deliverances, incomprehenſible excellencies, unſpeakable joy and glory; 'tis a wonder there ſhould bee ſuch things every day before our eyes, and yet wee could not ſee them till now; and 'tis a wonder, that when wee did not ſee them before, wee ſhould ever ſee them now; that thoſe things which wee deſpiſed, derided, mocked at, ſtumbled at, as meer fooliſhneſs, and fancy, wee ſhould now ſee and admire, even to aſtoniſhment; that that Jeſus, which was to the Jews a ſtumbling block, to the Greeks fooliſhneſs, ſhould bee to the ſame men, when called, the Wiſdome of God, and the Power of God. O the deep things of God! O the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt! that hee that ſearcheth all things, reveals unto the Saints! O the hidden treaſures they now diſcover in this deep Mine! To you that beleeve hee is pretious, a Praiſe, an Honour; all Fair, all Glorious; and you have ſeen his Glory, as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of God, full of Grace and Truth.
Again, there are marvellous evils, as well as good things, that by this light are brought to light. Sin with all the hidden things of darkneſs, that lay below in thoſe chambers of death; the ſecrets of the evill heart of man. Sin appears a wonder to the ſavingly enlightened ſoul; Exceeding ſinful, a world of wickedneſs.
There's Death, and Hell, and the Devil, in every ſin; unkindneſs, unthankfulneſs, folly, enmity, rebellion, ſpite, and the blackneſs of darkneſs. What once appeared as a pleaſure, a delight, a beauty; or at leaſt, if an evill, yet but a trifle, a matter of nothing; is become a plague, a terrour, a burthen, a bondage, bitterneſs, ſhame, ſorrow; and ſuch an high provocation, that whereas once hee ſwell'd, and murmur'd, and cryed out of rigour, feverity, cruelty in the leaſt puniſhment of it; now hee wonders at the clemency, and patience, and forbearance of God; that ſuch an affront and provocation, had not long ſince turned the whole earth into an Hell.
Chriſtian, thou complaineſt thou canſt not ſee, thou canſt not feel, thou canſt not mourn, thou canſt not break, under all the guilt that lies upon thee; thine heart is hard, thine eyes are dry, not a tear, not a groan, ſcarce a ſigh, will all this evill fetch out from thee. O this blinde and ſottiſh minde! O this dead and ſenſeleſs heart! what ſhall I do? what would I not do, to get mee a melting, mourning, broken ſpirit? but I cannot, I cannot; I cannot ſee, I cannot bleed, nor break; O beg the light of this Holy Spirit! and if the ſight that that will preſent thee with, of this wonderfull evill, do not rend thy heart, and turn thy ſtomack, and open all thy ſluces, and let out thy ſoul in ſighs and groans, in ſhame and ſorrow, thou mayeſt then well be a wonder to thy ſelf. But be nor diſcouraged, bee not diſmayed; do not ſay, this Rock will never break, this Iron will never melt; I may go ſighing for ſighs, mourning after tears, groaning after groans, but all in vain, it will never bee; paſt feeling, paſt feeling, ſorrow flies ſtill from mee, repentance is hid from mine eyes; do not thus diſcourage thy ſelf; wait for this ſpirit, open to it, and thou ſhalt ſee flowing in ſuch ſtreames of ſelf-ſhaming, ſelf-confounding light, as ſhall flow forth in ſelf-abaſing, ſelf-abhorring ſtreames of tears.
3. Theſe marvellous things, are revealed with marvellous clearneſs. That is, in compariſon of what they are to the purblinde world; and in compariſon of what they themſelves once ſaw. They come to ſee the glory, and the beauty, and the reality of the wonderful things of God. Wee have ſeen his glory, ſaith the Apoſtle Joh. 1. The kindneſs of God our Saviour [appeared.] But we all (with open face) behold, as in a glaſs, the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor, 3.18. Out of Zion hath hee appeared in perfect beauty.
It's Propheſied Iſa. 53. of the unbeleeving world, that when they ſhould ſee Chriſt; they ſhould ſee no beauty in him.
Strange, though hee were all beauty, yet they ſhould ſee him, and yet ſee no beauty. That is, they ſhall ſee him, and yet not ſee him. They ſee not wood for trees. What is thy Beloved more than other beloveds? VVhat is Chriſt more than an ordinary man? VVhat is the Goſpel more than an ordinary Story? VVhat is the Spirit? What is Truth? VVhat is there in this Faith, and Love; in this Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, in this Peace of Conſcience, and Joy of the Holy Ghoſt? VVhat ſubſtance is there in them? VVhere's the Glory, and wherein is the Excellency of them? Which way came the Spirit of the Lord from mee to thee? Thou ſhalt know in that day, when thou ſhalt call to the Mountains to fall on thee, and the Rocks to hide thee, from the face of God and the Lamb. Wee know whom wee have beleeved. Wee know that wee know him. Wee ſpeak that which wee know, and teſtify what wee have ſeen. Wee have an Ʋnction from the Holy one, wee know all things. God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit, for the ſpirit ſearcheth all things even the deep things of God. Now wee have received not the ſpirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God. VVee have a clear and certain ſight. VVee do not ſee men as Trees walking; with our eyes half open; wee ſee men as men, Chriſt as Chriſt, Truth as Truth, in its naked luſtre and evidence. This wee have ſeen, and do teſtify, neither deceiving, nor being deceived. VVee thank thee. O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto Babes.
And as they ſee Truth, and Holineſs, and Goodneſs, in their wonderful Glory, and Beauty; ſo alſo Folly, and Falſhood, and Sin, in its wonderful ugl…neſs, and deformi…y. Sin appears to bee ſin, to them, Rom. 7. Folly to bee folly, falſhood to bee falſhood; they ſee men as men, Chriſt as Chriſt, Truth as Truth, Holineſs as Holineſs; and they ſee beaſts as beaſts, fools as fools, ſin as ſin, devils as devils, hell as hell: They ſee all things as they are, temptations as they are, deluſions as they are; they ſee what's under them, the hook under the bait, the ſting in the Locuſt's tail, the warre in the Devils heart, carried on under his fawning face; Wee are not ignorant of his Devices.
Sinners, ceaſe your wondring at the Saints, let them bee no longer for ſigns and for wonders in Iſrael; ceaſe your wondring at the Saints; come and wonder with them. Wonder not that they ſay not as you, live not as you, run not with you after the ſame follies and vanities; Oh! if ye once come to ſee what they ſee, you will bee a wonder to your ſelves. Mock not at their bleſſedneſs; Bleſſed are their eyes, for they ſee. The blinde envy, but do not diſdain the ſeeing. Say not, theſe men are in a dream, or drunken, or mad; take heed, blaſpheme not the Holy Spirit, call not his light darkne…s, put not your darkneſs for light. Would you know, when theſe men teſtifie what they have ſeen and heard? whether they are ſober, or beſide themſelves, Come and ſee; I ſay not, stand and ſee, you cannot ſee at that diſtance you ſtand; come near, come in and you ſhall ſee; ſee your blindneſs firſt, if ever you will ſee the light Oh! bewail your darkneſs, and ſeek light, ſeek and you ſhall ſee it. Son of David have Mercy on mee; Why what wilt thou man? Lord that I may receive my ſight. Shall that bee thy cry? O pitty thy blinde ſoul! O pray for eyes. They that ſee pitty the blinde; Wee have a little Sister that hath no breasts, wee have a poor Brother [yea a world of them] that have no eyes. What ſhall we do for our poor brethren, in the day that they ſhall bee ſpoken for? Oh! bee eyes to thy blinde, bee a light to thy dark ſouls; let them that dwell in darkneſs ſee thy great light. Sinners, thoſe whom you perſecute, do thus pitty, do thus pray for you; Lord, that their eyes might bee opened: will you ſay, Amen, to their prayers? or will you ſay, Lord regard not their word, wee deſire not the knowledge of thy waies?
Chriſtians, bee marvels. You that have ſeen marvellous things, bee marvellous perſons, ſet the world a wondring for ſome thing. Let your light ſhine, let the light which hath ſhined into your hearts, ſhine forth in all your paths: let the Spirit of Light within you, bee a Spirit of Glory, reſting upon you. Once you were darkneſs, but now are yee light in the Lord; Walk as Children of the light. Bee yee holy, harmleſs, the Children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked Generation, amongst whom yee ſhine as lights in the World.
Beclouded Chriſtian, thou goeſt on bemoaning and bewailing thy ſelf, complaining that thou art ſtill blinde; the light hath ſhined into thy darkneſs, but thy darkneſs comprehendeth it not; thine eye is yet but tender, at leaſt, and thou canſt ſee but little; but little of Chriſt, the Sun is but as a ſparke to thee; but little of ſin, that Mountain, looks yet but as a Mole hill; It is neither clear, nor dark, neither night nor perfect day: thou hopeedſt that long e're this, thy ſcales would have fallen off, the vail would have been removed, but they abide upon thee; thou waiteſt for light, but behold obſcurity! for brightneſs, but thou walkeſt in darkneſs; thou goeſt on, adding darkneſs to darkneſs, the darkneſs of ſorrow, to the dimneſs of ſight. Thou feareſt that the Goſpel is hid from thee, thou doubteſt 'tis ſtill night, becauſe 'tis not yet noon with thee. But hearken, as little as thou ſeeſt of Chriſt, doeſt thou ſee ſo much, that thou prizeſt, and loveſt, and cleaveſt to him above all? as little as thou ſeeſt of ſin, doeſt thou ſee ſo much, that thou loatheſt, and ſhunneſt it above all things? doeſt thou walke in that little light thou haſt? doſt thou love, long, wait, cry, for the light? Send forth thy light and thy truth, lift up the light of thy countenance; Sun of Righteouſneſs ſhine upon mee; why are the wheels of thy Chariots ſo long a coming? when Lord? Make haſte my Beloved, O might I once ſee thy face, as the Sun, looking over the Mountains. Is this thy voice? are theſe the breathings of thy ſoul? Bee of good comfort, theſe are the glimmerings and groanings of that Holy Spirit within thee, which hath already delivered thee from darkneſs, and will bring thee forth into his marvellous light; thou ſhalt know, if thou follow on to know the Lord. Ariſe, ſhine, thy light is come, the Glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee. Though yet (as to thy ſenſe) it bee neither clear nor dark, neither night nor perfect day, in the evening there ſhall bee light.
2 As a Spirit of Holineſs and Sanctification; hee is given as an Holy Spirit, and as a Sanctifying Spirit: therefore Sanctification is called the Sanctification of the Spirit; 2 Theſ. 2.13. he comes to change us into his own nature, to make us partakers of his holineſs; hee is a Refiner's fire, and Fullers ſope, Mal. 3.2. to purge, and work, and waſh off the filth, and corruption of our natures; What it is ſaid hee ſhall bee to the Church, Iſa. 4.4. A Spirit of Judgement, and a Spirit of Burning, to waſh away the filth of the Daughters of Zion, and to purge the blood of Jeruſalem, from the midſt thereof. [a Spirit of Judgement] that is, in the Rulers of Iſrael; ſtirring them up to do Juſtice, and execute Judgement, that ſo the guilt of blood may bee taken away, Iſa. 32.15,16. and a [Spirit of Burning] that is, in the hearts of the people of Iſrael, to conſume and deſtroying the inward luſts of their hearts, that no more ſuch wickedneſs bee committed amongſt them. This hee is to every Saint; A Spirit of Judgement, to give Sentence againſt their Luſts, to condemn them to the fire; theſe muſt bee caſt out, to the fire with them; away with them, get yee hence yee Sons of the Bond-woman; you may not bee Heirs with the Sons of the Free-woman. The Spirit of the Lord firſt diſcovers and convinces of ſin; judges betwixt light and darkneſs, grace and ſin, and then gives ſentence, away with theſe Luſts, they may not bee ſuffered to live.
A Spirit of Burning, to execute the ſentence, to conſume them in the fire. The Spirit of Sanctification is a ſpirit of Mortification. Rom. 8.13. If yee (through the Spirit) do mortifie the deeds of the body. It is the Spirit that kills, the Fleſh profiteth nothing.
The Spirit implants the Soul into Chriſt; gives it an Intereſt in his death, brings it under the influence of his death. Chriſtus crucifixus eſt Chriſtus crucifigens. 'Tis the death of Chriſt, that is the death of ſin; theſe Theeves are Crucified with him. Rom. 6.6. Our old man is Crucified with Chriſt, that the body of ſin might bee deſtroyed, that henceforth wee ſhould no longer ſerve ſin. Hell knew not what they did, when they Crucified Chriſt; Death with all its Armies, were put to death with him.
The Spirit raiſes up another party in the ſoul, a party againſt a party, an army againſt an army; brings Grace in to take up arms againſt ſin; Grace doth not onelyonly fight againſt ſinne, but is in the very nature of it the death of ſinne, as the Generation of a new, is the Corruption of the old form. Humility is pride dead, meekneſs is ſinful paſſion and frowardneſſe dead, patience is impatience ſlain.
The Spirit excites and ſtirs up the ſoul againſt ſin, ſets it a praying againſt it; the Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Supplication, fetches down Hailſtones and Thunder bolts from Heaven to deſtroy theſe Amorites; ſets a watch againſt it, preſſes the ſoul to deal wiſely with it, to keep it low, by cutting off all proviſion from the fleſh, reſtraining, and keeping it ſhort of all thoſe fleſhly objects, which would keep it in heart, and ſo it's ſtarved to death. It is true, our greateſt wiſdome, watchfulneſs, abſtinence, ſelf-denial and all external means alone, will fall ſhort of killing one luſt, it is the Spirit that killeth, without it, the fleſh profiteth nothing: all external attempts for the mortification of the fleſh, are but a fleſhly mortification; but if yee [through the Spirit] do mortifie; pray in the Spirit, watch in the Spirit, curbe and keep ſhort, and keep under this body, ſtill taking in the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, then it ſhall dye.
Chriſtian, thou liveſt in a weary Land, and thou haſt but a weary life of it, bryers and thorns are with thee, the Canaanite is yet in the Land; thou ſojourneſt in Meſech and haſt thine habitation in the Tents of Kedar; and thou haſt a Meſech and Kedar within thee; thou haſt Armies within thee of fleſhly luſts, which fight againſt thy ſoul, thou goeſt mourning daily, becauſe of the oppreſſour, thoſe ſpiritual wickedneſſes which lie in thine heart, and warre in thy members; thou often groaneſt, and cryeſt out to thy God, libertie libertie, redemption redemption. Oh this proud heart, oh this vain heart! oh this earthlineſs, oh this fleſhlineſs, this ſloathfulneſs, this enmity, and rebellion againſt the law of my minde, and my God; when I would do good, evil is preſent with mee. I cannot, I cannot do the things that I would, I can with no peace ſerve or enjoy my God and my ſoul; my duties are either prevented or polluted, my comforts are either waſted or made quite to vaniſh and diſappear; when I would ſerve my God, I muſt away to ſerving my belly, or my back, or my friends; when my ſoul is a little gotten upon the wing, and ſoaring in the upper Region, it is preſently checked, pulled down again to the earth. O my pinioned impriſoned ſoul! woe is mee, wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver mee from the body of this death? Why, yet comfort thine heart, the enemy flyes upon thee as a flood, but the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a ſtandard againſt him, thou complaineſt thy Gold is become droſſe, thy wine is mixed with water, yea with mudd and dirt, yet hee will turne his hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy droſſe, and take away all thy tinne. Though theſe bryers and thornes bee ſet in battel againſt thee, yea, and againſt him alſo, yet hee will go through, go through them, hee will burn them together, Iſa. 27.4. Thou complaineſt that thy garments are defiled, thy glory is ſtained, thy beauty is marred, the Image of thy God is ſo defaced, that there's but here and there a ſpot of it left upon thee, thou art black, but not comely, whilſt thy Lord ſayes, thou art all fair O my Love, thou cryeſt out, I am all foul, O my Lord, thou wouldeſt be holineſs to thy Lord, but thou art an offence to him, holineſs is ſtill thy love, and thy deſire, and thy longing, but it flies from thee; it is rather thy wiſh then thy hope, thou canſt weep [over] but thou canſt not weep [out] thy deformity, thine Iniquity is ſtill marked before the Lord. If there bee a little Grace in thee, yet there is ſuch a weakneſs in its ſinews, ſuch a paleneſs in its face, that it is not like to live, or if it live, Oh! how little hope that ever it ſhould thrive or flouriſh; Thus thou complaineſt, thus thou goeſt mourning and ſighing, and ſinking, and fainting in thy minde, and now and then ventureſt out a deſponding Prayer. Lord pitty, Lord look upon my ſorrow, and my ſin, Lord waſh mee, Lord help mee. Why, the Lord God hath ſent thee his help out of his Sanctuary, and his ſtrength out of Zion. The eternal ſpirit is come down on purpoſe, to give battel to the fleſh, to ſubdue thine inquities, and bring all thoſe that riſe up within thee, under thy feet. Thou miſtakeſt thy ſelf, and thine enemies, if thou thinkeſt they will bee conquered, by one blow of thine arme, this kinde goeth not out ſo: not by might nor by power, much leſs▪ by weakneſs and by fleſh, by any weak attempts of thine own; but by my ſpirit ſaith the Lord. 'Tis work for a God to relieve and cleanſe ſuch an heart, to turn ſuch an Hell into an Heaven; what thou canſt not do, being weak through the fleſh, behold! hee comes down to do it for thee; thou haſt proved thine own weakneſs, now try everlaſting ſtrength; he ſtands at the door and knocks, hear his voice at the door, wilt thou bee made clean? wilt thou bee made whole? wilt thou bee delivered? open to him, and with him deliverance comes in, he ſtands at the poole, ſtirring the wa…ers, for thee, put in thy Cripple ſoul, and bee healed of all thy diſeaſes, ſay to him, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make mee clean; and thou ſhalt ſoon have this anſwer: I will, bee thou clean.
3. As a Spirit of Truth and Direction. John 16.13. hee ſhall guide them by his Counſel, he ſhall lead them in the way that they ſhall go, Iſa. 30.21. They ſhall hear a word behinde them ſaying: this is the way, walk yee in it, when they are turning to the right hand or to the left. He ſhall lead them into all truth, to prevent miſtakes, and into all righteouſneſs to prevent miſcarriages: nay more, hee ſhall not bee onelyonly their Starre, but their Strength too; hee ſhall guide them on, and help them on, they ſhall bee led by the Spirit, bound in the Spirit, preſſed in Spirit; they ſhall bee excited, aſſiſted, carried on in the power of the Spirit, in the way that they ſhould go: he will cauſe them to walk in the Statutes of the Lord. Whatſoever thy way wardneſs and thy wandrings have been; whatever thy feebleneſs and fickleneſs bee; whatever falſe lights, and falſe-waies are before thee; whatever temptations thou meeteſt with, to turn thee aſide out of the right way, whatever doubts hence ariſe in thine heart; I ſhall one day or other periſh from the way, and bee a loſt ſheep at laſt; yet his conduct ſhall bee proſperous, and the event ſhall bee ſure, hee ſhall ſo guide thee by his Counſel, that he ſhall bring thee to Glory. Hee ſhall gather his Lambs with his arme, and carry them in his boſome, and gently lead thoſe that are with young.
4. As a Spirit of Comfort and Conſolation, hee is ſo called, John 16.7. The Comforter. If I go not away, [the Comforter] will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will ſend him unto you. He ſhall come unto them, and abide with them, to ſupply the abſence of their Redeemer, to ſupport them under their affliction, to witneſs their Adoption, to ſeal them up, unto the day of Redemption, and to bee the earneſt of their Inheritance, Epheſ. 1.13,14.
John 16.14. Hee ſhall take of mine, and ſhew it unto you. [Hee ſhall take of mine] that is, not only of the Truths, thoſe treaſures of Wiſdome that are in mee, (though that bee ſpecially intended) but of my Love, my Righteouſneſs, my Holineſs, and all thoſe treaſures of Grace and Mercy, that are laid up in mee; whatever there is in mee, that may ſtand you in any ſtead, yeild you any relief, or ſupport; the Comforter which I will ſend you, ſhall bring it down to you: hee ſhall take my Blood, and the Pardons it hath purchaſed for you, my Bowels, and the Compaſſions that are working in mee towards you, my Prayers, and Interceſſions, I am offering up for you; hee ſhall take of all thoſe treaſures of Grace, and everlaſting Conſolations which are laid up for you with mee; hee ſhall take of mine, and ſhew it unto you. As much as you have in the world to afflict and amaze you, as little as you have of your own, to comfort you; either in your hearts, or in your houſes, or among your friends, hee ſhall ſhew what I have for you to refreſh you.
O Chriſtians, a ſight of Chriſt in our ſorrows, in our fears, in our thickeſt darkneſs; what daylight would it bring in? When thou lookeſt into thine heart, and art aſtoniſhed and confounded at what thou findeſt there; at the blindneſs and the hardneſs, the poverty and the emptineſs, the guilt and the guile, the pride and the peeviſhneſs, the evil thoughts, the vile affections, the filthy luſts, that are ſwarming and working in thee; when thou lookeſt into the world, and trembleſt at what thou beholdeſt there; the malice, the craft, the power, that is engaged againſt thee; the furious ſpirits, the fiery tongues, the fierce looks, the violent hands, that are flying upon thee; and the little relief the earth will afford thee; when thy heart faints, and dies within thee, at the ſenſe of this thy woeful and forlorn ſtate; A ſight of what thou haſt in thy Lord preſented to thee by his Spirit; look thee here ſoul, what thy Jeſus hath ſent thee down, a glance from his eye, a drop from his heart, a meſſe from his table; and all to tell thee, yet I do not forget thee; behold the care I take of thee, the treaſures I have for thee, to encourage thy love, and reward thy faithfulneſs. Oh! how will this make all thy darkneſs to depart, and turn the ſhadow of death into the morning.
Thus is the Holy Spirit given to the Saints, to bee the light of their eyes, the death of their ſins, the guide of their waies, the ſtay of their hearts; to up-hold their grace, and to maintain their peace; to ſubdue their enemies, or their fears; to ſecure them from temptations, or ſuccour them when tempted; to wipe off their reproach, or make it their crown; to heal their diſeaſes, or make them their cure; to help their infirmities, to work their works, to make their yoke eaſie, and their burthens light; to turn their ſighs into ſongs, to form their groans into prayers, to ſend them up to their Lord, and bring down their returns; to comfort their hearts, to eſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle them, that they be neither offended at the chain, nor moved from the hope of the Goſpel.