knew how she got home: which soul-ravishing joy continued for a fortnight after, and filled her mouth with songs of praise, so that she could neither sleep nor eat, more than she forced herself to do, out of conscience of duty. At the fortnight's end, when God was pleased to abate her measure of joy, she came to a settled peace of conscience, and assurance of the love of God; so that for twenty years after, she had not so much as a cloud upon her spirit, or the least questioning of her interest in Christ. But,

8. When God calls his people to some great and noble work, when he puts them upon some high services, some difficult duties, some holy and eminent employments, then his spirit comes and sets his seal upon them, Jer. i. 5. "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out. of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee to be a prophet unto the nations." The Lord sending the prophet Jeremiah to denounce most dreadful judgments against a rebellious people, an impudent, brazen-faced nation, he assures him of his eternal election, and of his choice presence, and singular assistance in that work that he set him about, verse 8, 17-19. Thus the Lord dealt with Peter, James, and John, Mat. xvii. 1-6, and thus he dealt with Paul, Acts ix-xxiii.

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9. When they are taken up into more than ordinary communion with God, then is the Spirit's sealing time. When was it that the spouse cried out, "My beloved is mine, and I am his?" but when Christ brought her to his banquetting-house, and his banner over her was love. Cant. ii. 16. iii. 4—6.

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10. Lastly, When christians are more than ordinarily exercised in secret prayer, in closet duties, then the Spirit comes and seals up the covenant, and the love of the Father to them. When Daniel had been wrestling and weeping, and weeping and wrestling all day long with God in his closet, then the angel tells him, "that he was a man greatly beloved of God," or, · a man of great desires' as the original hath it. There was a gracious woman, who after much frequenting of sermons, and walking in the ways of the Lord, fell into great desertions, but being in secret prayer, God came in with abundance of light and comfort, sealing up to her soul that part of his covenant, viz. Ezek. xi. 19, 20. "I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." And thus I have given you a brief account of the Spirit's special sealing times.

Now mark, This seal God sets upon all his wares, upon all his adopted children; for sooner or later, there are none of his but are sealed with this seal. God sets his seal of regeneration, he stamps his image of holiness upon all his people, to distinguish them from all prophane, moral, and hypocritical persons in the world. Doubtless the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost imprinting the draughts and lineaments of God's image of righteousness and holiness upon man, as a seal or signet, doth leave an impression and stamp of its likeness upon the thing sealed, is the seal of the Spirit spoken of in scripture, 2 Tim.

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ii. 19. "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." But to prevent mistakes, you must remember, that though the spirit of the Lord, first or last, will set his seal upon every real saint, yet the impressions of that seal is not alike visible in all; for some bear this impression as babes, others as men.grown up to some maturity. All God's adopted children bear this impression truly, but none of them bear it perfectly in this life. Sometimes this seal of regeneration, this seal of holiness, is so plain and obvious, that a man may run and read it in himself and others: and at other times 'tis so obscure and dark, that he can hardly discern it, either in himself or others. This seal is so lively stampt on some of God's people, that it discovers itself quite visibly, eminently, gloriously; but on others it is not alike visible. And thus I have made it evident by these seven particulars, that all the children of God have the spirit of God.

Now mark, The spirit of God that is in all the saints, is a spirit of prayer and supplication, Rom. viii. 15. "Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." While the child is in the womb it cannot cry, but as soon as it is born it cries. Whilst Paul was laid in his natural state, he could not pray, but no sooner was he born of the spirit, but the next news is, "Behold he prayeth !" Acts ix. 11. Prayer is nothing but the turning of a man's inside outward before the Lord. The very soul of prayer, lies in the pouring out of a man's soul.

into the bosom of God. Prayer is nothing but the breathing that out before the Lord, that was first breathed into us by the spirit of the Lord. Prayer is nothing but a choice, a free, a sweet, and familiar intercourse of the soul with God. Certainly it is a great work of the Spirit to help the saints to pray. Gal. iv. 6. "Because you are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." God hath no still-born children. The gemination Abba, Father, notes fiducial, filial, and vehement affection. The first is a Hebrew or Syriac word, the second a Greek, whereby is signified the union of the Hebrews and Grecians, or the Jews and Gentiles in one church, Abba, Father. What is Abba? say others. In Hebrew, Father, and it is added, because in Christ the corner stone, both people are joined, alike becoming sons, whence soever they come; circumcision from one place, whereupon Abba; uncircumcision from another, whereupon Father is named: The concord of the walls being the glory of the corner stone.

The word Abba say others, signifies Father in the Syriac tongue, which the Apostle here retaineth, because it is a word full of affection, which young children retain almost in all languages, when they begin to speak. And he adds the word Father, not only to expound the same, but also the better to express the eager movings, and the earnest and vehement desires, and singular affection of believers, in their crying unto God; even as Christ himself redoubled the word Father to the same purpose, when he was in his greatest distress. This little word Fa

ther, (saith Luther) lisped forth in prayer by a child of God, exceeds the eloquence of Demosthenes, Cicero, and all other so famed authors in the world. 'Tis certain that the Spirit of God helps the saints in all their communion with God; viz. in their meditations of God; in their reading and hearing of the word of God; in their communion one with another; and in all their solemn addresses to God. And as to this, the Apostle gives us a most special instance in Rom. viii. 16. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." When we are to pray, there is in us at times, an infirmity of ignorance, so that we know not what to pray for, either in regard of the matter or the manner: And there is in us at other times, an infirmity of pride and conceitedness, that we cannot pray with that humility and lowliness of spirit as we should, spiritual pride having hindered our prayers. Sometimes there is in us an infirmity of deadness, dullness, and drowsiness, so that we cannot pray with that warmth, heat, life, spirit, and fervency, as we would, or as we should; and at other times there is in us an infirmity of unbelief and slavish fears, so that we cannot pray with that faith and holy boldness, as becomes children that draw near to a throne of grace. But now the Spirit helps these infirmities by way of instruction, prompting, and teaching us what to pray for, and how we should spell our lesson; and by telling us, as it were, what we should say, and how we should sigh and groan; and by rousing,