God. thofe who deny future punifh- is the genuine fruit of forgetting ment. Such a ftep is taking away trouble at once, that men may have nothing to fear. It is, in reality, putting off the evil day at Tuch a diftance, that no finner can complain. But is it not at the fame time opening the horrible pit, from whence there is no redemption? Or why do all men, thefe as well as others, fall into trouble, whenever they realize a holy God? To enforce thefe obfervations, it must be remembered, that the great day of judgment is coming, in which all must appear before Chrift as the judge of quick and dead. The wicked have troubles in this world. What will they do, when their devices can ferve rael out of fight? When he shall no longer to keep the God of IfThe deniers of revelation must come to vindicate his name from rank under the fame clafs. Such all the hard fpeeches and felfif deeds of the ungodly, and reward evidently do not remember God. them according to their decepThe confequence is, they aretions? What must be their agiwandering fars, to whom is re-tations in the laft day? Then no ferved the blacknefs of darknefs forever. Long obfervation evinces, that fuch fentiments will not give peace in a ftormy day. They give no hope in the paffage of death. Such die in their fins. Atheists must rank under the fame clafs. They break every band of religion, and leave man to be his own God. Is not this tearing away the flood-gate, and giving room for all the luft of the human heart to flow? Hence, men "draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and fin as it were with a cart rope." There is no God to punish, no heaven to defire, and no hell to dread. Men die like the beafts that perish; wherefore let us live like them. Such are the delufions of infidelity. Thefe feveral notions, the flightest confideration will convince, muft deftroy focial happinefs. So far as the experiment has been made, facts demonstrate that they are of a fatal nature. How can men act fo? "Madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead." Such perfons are often boafting of their humanity. But is it not a strange and perverted humanity? Such one can hide. "Behold he cometh in the clouds, and every eye Shall fee him; and all kindreds of the earth fhall wail because of him. Even fo, amen." Rev. i. 7. Sinners muft anfwer for themselves. They will have no advocate to plead their caufe. Imagine then the diftressful scene!-How will unfaithful minifters feel, when their lost hearers fhall face them before the omnifcient Judge ? "Here I am on the left hand, because my minifter did not in. ftruct me faithfully in the nature and character of the true God, and warn me to remember the Lord and Saviour. Muft I be loft thro' his careless and inhuman ex ample? Eternity! Oh, eternity! who can fupport the thought!" How will irreligions parents feel, to have their neglected children reproach them before the affembled universe ? "You never told us what it was to remember God, according to the gospel— and you fet us the example to lead us directly into this diftrefsful condition! How could you be fo unnatural!-Oh! to have parents lead the way to everlasting fire and then to be curfed with their company forever and ever! How will feducers feel before the Judge they have fo heartily defpifed when those whom they have feduced will charge them with their deftructive and poifonous fnares? "You told us, that the gofpel was a farce; or not of fuch a nature as fome reprefented are these the golden dreams you preached to us? Oh! that we could be rid of fuch company! Hard lot, to be turned off with you into the place from whence we cannot escape !" How then muft all these feel, when the fentence fhall pafs, and they depart in their own blood, and fink to the lowest hell, loaded with the blood of all they feduced and eternally ruined! The statement is overwhelming. May fuch confider before the Judge call! To conclude, let us all remem ber God with an honeft, faithful heart; then a brighter fcene may open in this world, and in the last day. Let us fet God always before us, as our rightful fovereign, and be faithful in our feveral ftations and work. This will fave believers a whole series of troubles and difappointments-and the finner will efcape the curfes of time, the infupportable troubles of the judgment day, and the defpairing glooms of eternity. mercy. It is, with fpecial reference to them, that the Holy Ghoft is fent into the world. He indeed often awakens others, and impreffes their minds with fome fenfe of the importance of religious truths; but does not fubdue their, wills. He awakens and convinces them of their fins, and then leaves them to the inclinations of their own hearts, which, being altogether evil, infallibly lead them to deftruction. His bufinefs is principally with the elect. He is fent to fulfil the covenant of redemption made with Chrift, that he fhall fee of the travail of his foul and be fatisfied. And fo far as the falvation of man is concerned, Chrift is fatisfied with the falvation of those whom the Father hath given him, in the covenant of redemption. He afks In his interceffory prayer, recorded in the 17th chapter of John, he grounds his interceffion on that covenant. He fays, I pray not for the world; but for those which thou haft giv, en me. And he acknowledges that he had received power over all flefh, to give eternal life to as many as the Father had given him. And having finished his work, he afks them only for his reward. no more. Those who are thus given to Chrift, are naturally as corrupt as other men. The reason why they are felected, to be members, of Chrift, rather than others, God has not difclosed. Our Lord has taught us how we fhould feel on this fubject, in his adfeel on drefs to the Father, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou haft hid these things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes; even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight.' There is no effential difference between the elect and others, until it is effected by the holy Spirit. He has it in charge to prepare them for the things for which they are defigned, that they may ftand as pillars in the temple of God, to the glory of his infinite grace. God orders their education, and all their circumftances and connections in this life, with a fpecial view to this end; tho' they do not regard him until the Spirit begins his operations with them. When the Holy Ghoft begins his work upon fuch as are chofen to eternal life, he does not make any new revelations to their understandings in an immediate way: but impreffes their minds with the things which are already written in the fcriptures,-faftens a fense of their truth and importance upon them, and convinces them of fin, of righteoufnefs, and of judgment. This is neceffary; for no one can believe on Jefus Chrift, or return unto God, until he fees that he has gone aftray from God, and has real need of fuch a Redeemer. These convictions do not infpire the unrenewed with holiness or comfort. But they clearly discover to them their enmity againft God; and are fo conducted, as to caufe their corruptions to manifeft themselves. And they produce deep anxiety and diftrefs of foul. The finner is bro't to fee himself wholly depraved in heart, utterly inexcufable, in the hands of an angry God, and dependent on fovereign, allconquering grace for any profpect of escaping his endless wrath. Still however he is a finner, under condemnation, and fees himself in this fituation. Thefe convictions are fometimes called the preparatory work of the Spirit, becaufe they bring the finner to fee his fins and mifery, and to feel his need of a Saviour. Further The Holy Ghoft renews the hearts of all whom the Father hath given unto the Son. Their oppofition to God is fubdued. As many as are ordained to eternal life believe. They become full of love to God, and the willing fubjects of divine grace. This is wro't wholly by the pow er of the Spirit, without any previous concurrence of their own wills. They are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,-are born of the Spirit. God, who commanded the light to fhine out of darknefs, fhineth in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift. The Holy Spirit, by thus changing their hearts, produces in them repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jefus Christ. Henceforth they become interested in all the promises which are made to fuch as repent and believe the gofpel. They are now bro't into perfonal covenant with God. They have given themselves to him; and he has promised that he will be their God, and that none fhall pluck them out of his hands. But God has not received them into favor because their repentance or faith have rendered them deferving of his love; but because he gave them to Christ, to be the fruits of his redemption. And being thus given to Chrift, he treats them with favor, from regard to his beloved Son. They are made accepted in the beloved. From this time, the Spirit takes fpecial poffeffion of them, as the property of Chrift, and the heirs of his kingdom and glory. They become the temples of the Holy Ghoft. The Spirit takes charge knowledge of themselves, of God, of their relation to him, and of his infinite condefcenfion to them, and kind attention to their wants. The holy spirit takes of the things of Chrift, and fhews them to his people, by placing them in an innumerable variety of circumftances, adapted to give them the most advantageous and impreffive views of the various things which God has inferted in the holy fcriptures. One fituation prepares them peculiarly to fee the excellency of one thing, and another of another thing which he has revealed. Trials, victories, falls, recoveries, comforts and afflictions, all in their turns, render them peculiarly fufceptible of a sense of the glory of one part or other of the fcriptures, and of the abundant provifions of the gospel difpenfation. And the fpirit takes advantage of thefe circumftances to disclose their glory; fo that they appear exceedingly rich. Chrift told his difciples, that the fpirit fhould bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever he had faid unto them. On particular occafions, believers have the most fuitable texts of fcripture frequently fuggefted to their minds, peculiarly fitted to their circumftances, either for reproof, warning, confolation, or support under temptations; and they are brought to their remembrance in fuch numbers, order and power, as bespeak the work of the holy spirit. He leads them to realize that the promifes of God are firmer than the mountains,-reveals the inexpreffible importance of God's law, and of his kingdom,-fills the foul with a fenfe of eternity, fo as to In engaging to accomplish this work of grace, there is much bufinefs undertaken. The spirit is employed continually, in numerous offices of mercy to Chriftians. He does not ordinarily ren der them at once perfect in holinefs. That would not be beft for them, nor fit them fo well for the purposes for which they are defigned. In his conduct towards them, in their imperfect ftate, which continues till death, he convinces them by their own experience, which is the moft feeling of all inftructors, of many things which peculiarly prepare them to be an honor to Chrift. He brings their vileness, the plague of their own hearts, and their extreme obftinacy and frowardness more abundantly into their own view, by its being acted out in all circumftances, and under all obligations, than could have taken place, if they were perfectly fanctified at He teaches them by experience their weaknefs, dependence, and need of divine protection and grace, to uphold them, and render them ufeful in the world. This renders Chrift, his promifes, and the aid of the fpirit more precious to them. They become more affected with a fenfe of the richnefs and freeness of divine grace-break the ftrength of thofe temptof God's wonderful long fuffer- ations which originate from the ing and faithfulnefs to provoking deceitful importance affumed by creatures. They increase in the the things of this world. He be once. comes in them who believe a fpirit of prayer,-helpeth their infirmities, leads them to cry Abba Father, and maketh interceffion in them with groanings which cannot be uttered. He fearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God, and fo fuggefts the excellency of them to believers, that they are made to have their effect upon their hearts. He reftrains from fin-reflores them when they have wandered, when neceffary he gives them that extraordinary intrepidity, that they are not overawed by the frowns of princes, or the fears of death. This has been well illuftrated by the hiftory of the prophets, apoftles and martyrs. He excites them to vigilance, and a life of holiness. In the discharge of the duties which devolve upon them, they are made to bring forth fruit, fome thirty, fome fixty, and fome an hundred fold. In a word, the fpirit of God is in believers, manages them in all their circumstances, and makes ufe of the word, ordinances and providence of God to inftruct, reprove, reftrain, encourage and defend them, and gradually prepare them for the bleffings defigned them, and the ufes for which they are intended. The Holy Ghoft is also called the comforter. The comforts which he gives are the pleasures which believers receive in the contemplation of God, as he is revealed in the fcriptures, in all his adminiftrations. These are an inexhauftible fource of enjoyment to fuch as have an heart that can be gratified by beholding divine perfections. He alfo gives them precious comforts, from the fatisfaction which they take in employing themfelves in the duties of religion, and in admiring the wifdom and mercy of God in his particular dealings with themfelves. Thefe comforts are of an holy nature-are inspired by the holy fpirit, and cannot be enjoyed but by an holy heart. In contemplating the offices of the Holy Ghoft, in the falvation of the elect, it is impoffible for experienced Christians not to reflect on his importance to them. He is every thing to them for instruction, conviction, regeneration, perfeverance, growth in grace, comfort, and final perfection in holiness and happiness. It is altogether by him that they are made to differ from the worst of mankind. They might as well hope for falvation without the mediation of Chrift, as without the peculiar office of the Holy Ghoft. These confiderations excite their admiration, awaken their gratitude, and encourage them to work out their own falvation with fear and trembling, because it is God that worketh in them, both to will and to do. And they cannot refrain from crying under the influence of these reflections, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. Christ has not left his children comfortless. They are not o phans. By giving them his fpirit, he has beftowed immense bleffings upon them. How rich are their comforts, daily enjoyed in proportion to the communications of the Holy Ghoft. Let them,— let all mankind, taste and fee that the Lord is good. Let them ask for the rich fupplies of his fpirit, rejoicing in, and taking encouragement from the declaration made by Chrift. If a fon afk bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he afk a fish, will he for a fifh give him a ferpent? Or if he afk an egg, will he offer him a fcorpion? If |