Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

The second means to get the spirit is faith; and the best means to get faith is to be conscionable and constant ¹in hearing the word Preached. That is, the Preaching of the word is a means to get the spirit. And therefore the Apostle said Received you the Spirit by the work of the Law? or else by Faith Preached? Gal. 3. That is, you may know whether you have the Spirit or no, by this; ²examine whether you have gotten •aith by the Preaching of the word: Our Saviour saith, that The Tree is known by his fruit; That is, the branch cannot bear fruit, except it receive virtue and strength from the root: so if we get not faith in Christ, and be joined with him, we shall never get the spirit. Therefore if you would get the spirit you must get faith: for faith is the knitting and the drawing grace, it will draw the spirit into the soul, and it will knit him fast unto the soul, that it can never depart from it: Faith will recover the spirit if it seem to want his power of working in the soul, it will return him if he seem to depart away: it will enlarge the heart, if the spirit seem to be scanted in it, that is, it will widen the narrow bottle of our hearts: And you know what our Saviour said to men and women in the Gospel: be it unto you according to your Faith. Therefore if you would get the Spirit you must get faith in your hearts: That is, if you would get a large measure of the Spirit, then get a large measure of faith: for what is the reason that men thrive not in the Spirit, but because they thrive not in faith?

The second means to get the spirit is faith; and the best means to get faith is to be conscionable and constant ¹in hearing the word Preached. That is, the Preaching of the word is a means to get the spirit. And therefore the Apostle said Received you the Spirit by the work of the Law? or else by Faith Preached? Gal. 3. That is, you may know whether you have the Spirit or no, by this; ²