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Power then, we may fairly conclude his Influences will be ever as great as the prefent Circumftances of Affairs will require.

PROCEED We now in the 2d Place to confider the other Sort of Gifts which are univerfally vouchfafed to the Chriftian Church, viz. the ordinary Operations of his Grace, Illumination and Sanctification.

THE State of Nature is generally in the Holy Scripture call'd a State of Darknefs; and, on the contrary, the State of Grace is call'd that of Light. Here we enjoy all those beautiful and comfortable Scenes of Things, which can be conveyed to us by fo bright and glorious an Image. Our Souls are no longer perplex'd with Errors and Uncertainties; no longer tortur'd with Anxiety and Despair, but we walk in the open Light of the Son of Righteousness: Our Salvation is continually before our Face; and the Way to attain it is plain and obvious. The Holy Scriptures, which were the immediate Dictates of the Holy Ghost, are a Lantern to our Feet, and a Guide

to our Paths; they are the Treasure of Divine Knowledge deliver'd to us in the Demonftration of the Spirit, and are abundantly able to make us wife unto Salvation. But befides this outward Converse, there is likewife an internal Communication, whereby it takes off those Clouds from the Understanding, and clears up those saving Truths of the Gospel, to enable us more fully to apprehend the Force of them. To Him are owing all the Comfort and Pleasure we receive from the affecting Senfe of any Part of our Religion. To Him it is owing, that we can with Satisfaction contemplate the Eternal Godhead, in the Glory of his Attributes, and the Excellency of his Perfections, and understand what Service is moft acceptable to fo adorable a Being; to Him that we can with Raptures of Joy meditate upon the confummate Work of our Redemption, and be instructed in all that is neceffary on our Part to reap the Advantage of it. He informs us what is the true End of our Being, wherein our main Happiness confifts, and what are the proper Means of attaining it. VOL. I. L 2 What

Whatever a Chriftian does or ought to know for his Soul's Health are the gracious Influences of his Communications with us. The Arts indeed which the Holy Ghost makes ufe of to fill our Souls with fuch faving Truths, are various and unaccountable; yet fince our Souls are naturally full of Darkness, and over-run with Ignorance, every Glimpse of Light, every Dawning of wholefome Inftruction must be derived from that Fountain of all-illuminating Grace, which can alone fhew us the true Path of Life, and guide us therein with his Counfel. But the Second Operation of the Holy Ghost is that of Sanctification; for in vain would the Bleffed Spirit inftru&t us in our Duty, if He did not likewise enable us to perform it: We have Inftances too frequent and flagrant to convince us that the Corruption of fall'n Man will act against Knowledge; and to his Divine Inspirations alone it is owing that we will and do, as well as know, the Things that make for our Peace. The Effects which are wrought upon the Soul by his gracious Influences, are in the Holy

Scripture call'd Regeneration, or a Second Birth; when all the Faculties of the inner Man have left their free and natural Power of acting through Sin; then does the enlivening Spirit of God, as it breathed into Man's Noftrils the Principles of Natural Life, likewise inspire his Soul with thofe of a Spiritual Life; quite different Sentiments are here infufed, and all our Thoughts and A&ions turn upon new Frinciples: He gives a Check to those Seeds of Corruption, which grow up in our polluted Soul, and warms us with virtuous Suggestions; thefe Suggestions He cherishes and improves into pious Refolutions, and thofe Refolutions into godly Habits He melts down the Hardnefs of our Hearts, and rectifies the Perverfeness of our Will: He reduces the Wildness of our Affections to a peculiar Compliance with the Will of God, and turns the Fiercenefs of our Appetites into the Mildness of a virtuous Subjection: He fubdues every Inclination to Vice, and kindles every Defire of Virtue: He enforces all the Motives to Godliness in the Fulness of their Strength, and dif

pofes us to perform the Means of it in the Sincerity of a pious Zeal: He gives a fpiritual Difcernment of the whole Gospel-Covenant, and powerfully engages our fulfilling the Terms of it: He fpiritualizes all our Thoughts, and fanctifies all our Actions; in every Circumftance He renews a right Spirit within us, and purifies our Souls, even as our Father which is in Heaven is alfo pure.

THESE are the Bleffed Effects of the Holy Spirit's operating upon our Souls; and what a comfortable Change is thereby made? We pass from the difconfolate Gloominefs of uncertain Wandrings, to the Brightness of fettled Principles of acting; from the Extravagancies and Mifery of a finful and corrupted Nature, to the Regularity and Comfort of Piety and Virtue; from the Melancholy of Defpair, and the dreadful Apprehenfions of eternal Vengeance, to the glorious Prospect of an happy Eternity.

THESE then are the Gifts which the Bleffed Jefus gave unto Men: He endued his Apostles with Power from on High for the Establishment of his Church,