that we keep his Commandments? To the fame Purpose our Lord speaks in the fifteenth of St. John, comparing himself to a Vine, and his Father to an Husbandman: I am the Vine, ye are the Branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much Fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit, fo fhall ye be my Difciples.

Unbelievers may have many Objections to make against the Operations of the Holy Spirit, which need not affect or disturb the Faith and Hope of a Christian. But when they object to us the Want of Evidence in the Works of Chriftians, they raise a Difficulty, which every Believer is bound to anfwer for himself, or to quit his Pretenfions to the Hopes and Promises of the Gospel. The Confidence of fome, that they have the Spirit of God, though they have nothing but their own Confidence to alledge in Proof of it, is a Conceit, unknown to the Churches of God: The Gospel is a Stranger to it, and it was taught in fome other School than that of Chrift.

If you would know whether the Spirit of Christ be in you of a truth, you have a plain Rule in the Text to examine yourself

by. The Apostle St. James Ipeaks of two
forts of Wisdom, the one earthly, fenfual, de-
vilish; the Fruits of which are, Envyings,
Strife, Confufion, and every evil Work: The
other heavenly, which is pure and peaceable,
gentle and eafy to be intreated, full of Mercy
and good Fruits, without Partiality, without
Hypocrify. It is no hard Matter for a Man
to know to which Clafs he belongs; the
Characters are bold, and easily distinguished ;
the Difference is so great between Confusion
and Peace, Strife and Gentleness, Envy and
Mercy, every evil Work and every good
Work, that we cannot eafily mistake in ap-
plying thefe Marks. Search therefore your
own Hearts, for thence must come the Refo-
lution, whether the Spirit of Christ dwell in
you or no. How the Spirit cometh, or how
it goeth, we know not. Our Saviour, in his
Difcourfe with Nicodemus, compares the In-
fluence of the Spirit to the blowing of the
Wind, Thou heareft the Sound thereof, but
canft not tell whence it cometh, and whither it
goeth; fo is every one that is born of the Spirit.
How the new Birth and Regeneration is per-
formed, He only can tell who performs it;
but the Effects of it Man
every
may fee,
they are as difcernible as the Noife of the

Winds, though in their Cause and Spring as secret, and altogether as far removed from human Sight.

As the Fruits of the Spirit are the only Evidence we can have of the Spirit, fo the End of giving the Spirit is the producing these good Fruits. Sanctification, Regeneration, and all other Terms by which the Operation and Work of the Spirit in Believers are denoted, fignify to us that the Spirit is given to redeem us from Sin, and to render us a People acceptable to God, zealous of good Works. And furely it is no finall Commendation of the Gospel, that the Things in it, which feem most mysterious, have the plainest Use, and are introduced to promote fuch Ends, as must appear to the most prejudiced Mind to be honourable to God, and advantageous to Mankind. We offer you, upon the Terms of the Gofpel, the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft: In virtue of this Offer we call you to Holiness and Obedience. What Defign or Contrivance have you to suspect? If any thing is to be gained by your being virtuous, the Advantage will be all your own. Nay, suppose that you are deceived into Goodness, yet for you at least it will be an happy Deceit; and, I think, no unhappy

unhappy one for the reft of the World. Who will fuffer by Men's becoming gentle and peaceable? If there were more of this Spirit in the World, it would be a much happier Place than it is: For the Strife and Confufion, and all the Miferies which we fee and hear, have their Rife from that Wisdom which is earthly and fenfual.

From what has been said arises this plain Conclufion: That the true Way of judging, whether the Spirit of God be in us, is to confider our own Deeds. Righteousness and Holiness are the only certain Marks of Regeneration. Other Diftinctions which Men have invented are rather Marks of their spiritual Pride, and of their Separation from the Body of Christians, than of their Union with Chrift the Head. Take heed therefore that you adorn the Faith with a Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, that you may the Comfort and Confolation of knowing that you have not believed in vain.

have

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE XIII.

MATTHEW v. 48.

****

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

RACTICE is the End of all
Precepts and Exhortations:

Р

***

Laws are therefore enacted, that Subjects may obey: Exhortations are therefore added, that they may be encouraged to do their Duty. It must then be a very great Abfurdity to make any thing, in its own Nature impracti- : cable, the Subject-matter either of Command or Advice. And does not the Text feem liable to this Objection? Is there any thing which Men have more Reason to think impoffible to them, than to arrive at the Perfections of the Deity? Why then are we commanded

VOL. III.

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