common methods of his Providence, and give us such a portion of His good Spirit, as is agreeable to our nature, and suitable to the circumstances in which we are placed. But there is no reason in the nature of the thing, and no foundation in the word of God, for those strong impressions, those rapturous sensations of Grace, those visions, and ecstasies, and illuminations, to which some have pretended. If men would not be imposed on in this affair, they ought to examine rather what they do, than what they feel; for inward feelings may be nothing else, but the effects of a disordered head, or the workings of a warm imagination. "But "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; "whosoever is born of God overcometh the world; "and he that doeth righteousness is righteous." Yet there is no occasion, perhaps, to confine the operations of the Spirit to our faculties, and to suppose that they are, always, and only, addresses to the Reason: it is by no means absurd to suppose, that the Holy Spirit may draw us by sensations of delight to that which is spiritual. For it is to little purpose how clear the light is, wherein we see our duty, if our hearts, through corruption, be insensible to the love of it; and consequently, if the influence of the Spirit be excluded here, it is excluded from that part of us, which seems, chiefly, to require his holy Inspiration.

IV. The doctrine admitted under these restrictions, does not seem capable of being, easily, abused. But, in general, ill uses are made of it; which, therefore, it may not be inexpedient to point out. This doctrine then is grievously abused, when it is made to serve the purposes either of enthusiasm, cr carelessness in sin. And it is made to serve the purposes of enthusiasm,

when

when any persons pretend to such favors and communications from above, as Christians, in ordinary cases, have no reason to expect. The natural Reason of men, and the written word of God, when, rightly, employed and used, are a sufficient guide to duty. All immediate inspirations, therefore, all new visions and revelations, as from the Lord, are enthusiastic pretences. But the most fatally pernicious pretence of this kind is, when men, under the influence of such persuasions, think themselves at liberty to dispense with the eternal rules of righteousness, and to contradict the plain express laws of the everlasting Gospel. "This persuasion cometh not of Him that hath called 66 us, this wisdom cometh not from above; but," if there be any thing in it more than what is "earthly " and sensual," it is "devilish."

The doctrine of Grace may, however, be abused to the purposes of carelessness and sloth; and it, really, is so, when, instead of exerting their own endeavors, men only wait for the influence of the Spirit, which will, sometime, they hope, convert them as in a moment, without preparation, without prayer, without any diligence of their own. But they may as well expect, that the Holy Ghost should descend suddenly," as "with the sound of a rushing mighty wind," as that He should convert them in this irresistible manner. No! He imparts his Grace, as it were, in number, weight, and measure; and to such as make a good use and improvement of those degrees of it, which are, already, conferred upon them, more shall be given, till, at length, they have abundance.

But the vilest, the most ungrateful abuse is made of this doctrine, when, under the cover of it, men justify,

or,

or, at least, excuse themselves in the known practice of sin. This they do, either when they live in the habit of any vice, pretending that, as yet, they have not Grace sufficient to resist it; or, more professedly, when. they continue in sin that Grace may abound," may appear more glorious at last, in the victory over such confirmed, and inveterate habits. This turning the Grace of God into an argument for immorality, is, surely, the highest way of grieving the Holy Spirit, who is the Giver of it; and as to ourselves," in making "that, which should have been for our wealth, become 66 unto us an occasion of falling."

V. We make a good use of this doctrine, when we suffer it to answer those ends, which, it seems in itself, naturally, calculated to promote. One of these is devotion, or application to God in prayer. Now, this doctrine teaches us, that we can do nothing without the assistance of God's Holy Spirit, and yet that this Spirit will not be given but to those that ask Him; that ask Him with earnestness and importunity, and seek Him in diligent prayer. In like manner, this doctrine must, naturally, excite us to make a regular, and religious use of all the established means of Grace. We cannot, with any consistency, neglect the study of the Scriptures, if we believe that a secret influence goes along with it, above what we have reason to expect from any human writings. We cannot, with any consistency, neglect the assemblies of Christian worship, if we believe that Christ himself is in the midst of them, distributing those favors of His gracious presence, which may, elsewhere, perhaps, be sought in vain. We cannot, with any consistency, neglect the Christian Sacraments, if we believe that, besides "the outward

"" and

"and visible signs," there is also "an inward and "spiritual Grace;" and particularly, that, in the Lord's Supper, "our souls are strengthened and refreshed by "the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by "the bread and wine." And, in all probability, if we were to ask a reason for their conduct, from those persons who do neglect these things, such of them as are able to give one, would allege, that they expett no advantage in the use of them. What are those Ordidinances that we should keep them? Or, what profit is there, if we attend upon them?

To conclude. The doctrine of Divine Grace rightly understood, informs us, that we are carrying on a work in which God himself is engaged; and which, therefore, cannot fail of success, but through our fault."It is God, which worketh in," and with, 66 us, both to will, and to do, of His good pleasure;" and therefore, we are inexcusable, if, under the eye and inspection of such an assistant, we do not "work ❝out our own Salvation." Now, our first attempts towards virtue will interest a power in our behalf, which, in spite of all opposition, will be sufficient for us; while we are yet afar off, our heavenly Father will "meet us, and have compassion on us." But this implies, that we have some power ourselves to lay hold of the hand, which is thus, graciously, stretched out to relieve us. It implies, that we are not only able, but obliged to answer the end, for which the Grace of God is bestowed upon us. And that is, not to render our own care superfluous, but effectual; not to supersede our own endeavors, but to make them successful. And when we thus labor, that we may not "receive the "Grace of God in vain ;" when we hope to receive

the

the Spirit, only that we may " bring forth the fruits "of the Spirit, in righteousness, peace, and joy in the "Holy Ghost:" in short, when we take to ourselves the blame of all that is amiss, and ascribe to God the glory of all that is good in us, then the doctrine of Divine Grace has had its natural effect upon us, and wrought in us that temper of mind, which, by the appointment, and promise of God, entitles us to the kingdom of glory. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for "their's is the kingdom of heaven." There every heart will be sensible, and every tongue will confess, that "this great Salvation, so much beyond what "they looked for," is, principally, and originally owing, not to any works or merits of their own, but to the benevolence and mercy of God the Father, to the merits and mediation of God the Son, to the guidance and assistance of God the Holy Ghost.

SERMON