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"we all receive, even grace for grace." No fooner is this union diffolved, than, in like manner as with the branches, our fouls wither and decay. As the several stones of a building depend for ftability on the chief corner ftone, fo is the ftrength of Chrift made perfect in our weakness †. The feveral members, however vigorous and active, are no longer so than while they derive nourishment from the body; no longer ufeful than while they receive direction from the head. Just so are believers with refpect to Chrift. He must live in them; muft become their ftrength, their wisdom, and their guide; their prophet to inftruct, and their king to govern‡.

2. Let us proceed, however, to confider the means of this union. How do we thus dwell in Chrift, and Chrift in us? St. John informs us, it is, "by the Spirit which he hath given us." Agreeably to which St. Paul declares, “If any "man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of "his (a)"; elfewhere afferting, "He that is joined "to the Lord, is one fpirit (b);" and that the bodies of all true believers are " temples of the Holy "Ghoft (c)." Enough then has been advanced from facred writ, to fhew that this union is afferted to be maintained by Chrift's holy Spirit dwelling within

*John i. 16. See Eph. i. 23.iii. 19.iv. 13. Col. i. 19.ii. 9. + 2 Cor. xii. 9. ‡ Pf. xliv. 1. -lxxxi. 1.-----cxxxviii. 3.-cxl. 7.xlviii. 14. 1 Cor. i. 30. John vi. 14. Acts iii: 23. Ifa. xxxii. 1. &c. || 1 John iii. 24. See 1 John iv. 12, 13. (a) Rom. viii. 9. (b) 1 Cor. vi. 17. (c) 1 Cor. iii. 16. &c. 2 Cor. vi. 16.

vi, 19.

within us. But it may be afked, what evidence have individual believers of this being the cafe with themselves?

3. This is the laft point which we proposed to confider. That there is fuch an evidence, we cannot for an inftant doubt, if we admit the divine authority of the Scriptures. Our bleffed Lord had promifed his difciples, " At that day (namely "when the Spirit of Truth" fhould come) 66 ye "fhall KNOW that I am in my Father, and ye in 66 me, and I in you you*'" St. John afferts, "Hereby we KNOW, that he abideth in us; by the "SPIRIT, which he hath given us t." And, St. Paul exclaims, "KNow ye not, that your bodies "are the temples of the Holy Ghoft ?" But, the "queftion ftill arifes, How do we know this? The Scripture plainly represents this evidence to be twofold; 1. Immediate and direct; 2. By the Holy Spirit's effects or fruit. Let us then proceed to confider each in its proper order.

The former of thefe is afferted by the facred writers both in the moft plain and fimple terms; and under fome of thofe eafy fimilitudes, by means of which God frequently condefcends to familiarize fpiritual ideas to our minds. It is declared, "He that believeth on the Son of God

hath the witnefs in himself:"" and, it is the "Spirit that beareth witnefs, because the Spirit is truth." So alfo, in writing to the Galatians,

St.

*John xiv. 20. Read with attention from ver. 15. to 30. 1. John iii. 24. See iv. 12, & 13, John v. 10 & 6.

St. Paul affirms, "Because ye are fons, God hath "fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, "crying Abba, Father*" And, in writing to the Romans, after making a diftinction between the operations of the Holy Spirit, in his first becoming the Spirit of bondage, producing terrifying fear of God, and afterwards the Spirit of adoption, (as above, to the Galatians,) filling the heart with filial confidence and love, he afferts in the most plain and direct terms poffible. "The Spirit "itfelf beareth witnefs with our fpirit, that we "are the children of God; and if children, "then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with "Chrift; if fo be that we fuffer with him, that we 66 may alfo be glorified togethert." As a truly learned and pious author obferves, the interpretation which an humble man, of a good plain un derstanding, affixes to a paffage of Scripture, is ufually the beft. The Scriptures, indeed, were written chiefly with a view to fuch perfons. Learning and acute talents for reasoning are rare plain common sense is the growth of every foil. Removing then all the learned duft which has been fometimes brought to obfcure these paffages by perfons who have wifhed to explain away what they have never themselves experienced; let us afk, how would a plain man understand thefe, who is fincerely defirous of knowing and following God's way of falvation? It will not admit of a doubt. He cannot underftand them otherwise

Gal. iv. 6. Rom. viii. 15, 16, & 17.
Dr. Doddridge Family Expofitor.

than

than that the Father of Spirits" impreffes on the minds of his adopted children, by faith in Chrift, a filial confidence of his being reconciled to them, and they to him, through the gracious Redeemer; in confequence of which they are heirs of all the promifes, while they continue his faithful difciples. As it is elfewhere expreffed, "the love of God is fhed abroad in their hearts, by "the Holy Ghoft given unto them." They "love God, because he first loved them t." It is a conscioufnefs of his love which firft excites theirs. Thus "believing" in Christ, they " re"joice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. When the fame plain humble perfon finds it repres fented, in other paffages of Scripture,that God "hath "fealed believers, and given them the earnest of "his Spirit in their hearts §," that he "hath fealed "them with the Holy Spirit of promise |;" that he "hath fealed them unto the day of redemp"tion (a)" he will not hesitate in understanding thefe paffages, as conveying the fame gracious truth, under easy and familiar figures. They are fo eafy and fimple as to render much explanation fuperfluous. An earneft is a part given, as a fecurity for the whole; and given expressly with that view. A feal is a mark which the owner affixes to denote his property and right. Speaking of our bleffed Saviour, it is faid, " Him hath "God

* Rom. v. 5. + 1 John iv. 19. See 1 John iv. 10. John xv. 16. Rom. v. 8. 1 Pet. i. 8. § 2 Cor.i 22. & v. 5. Eph. i. 13. (a) Eph. iv, 30.

66

God the Father fealed *." He was the dearly beloved Son of God in a peculiar manner, and he bore peculiar teftimonies to his Son-fhip. The glorified faints in heaven are reprefented as "feal"ed in their foreheads t." The faints on earth are alfo defcribed as fealed, but it is with the Holy Spirit of promife," an earnest of their "inheritance, until the redemption of the pur"chafed poffeffion." It will not be loft, also, on an attentive obferver, of the plainest underflanding, that the above representations were made by perfons profeffing themfelves to have received their witnefs, feal or earneft, and to numerous others, whom they defcribe, as equally fenfible of it. If the members of the feveral Churches had known nothing of any fuch impreffion wrought on this minds by the Holy Spirit of God, well might they have rejected fuch paffages as the above with fcorn and contempt.

Should it be afked, Will not certain fruits or effects of the Holy Spirit of God be produced in the hearts and lives of true believers, as well as this immediate witnefs of their adoption? we anfwer, thefe will conftantly follow as far as time and opportunity may fuffice. Thefe then we propose now briefly to confider. The fruit of the Spirit is reprefented to confift in all goodnefs, righteoufnefs, and truth." But, more particularly, as " the "works of the flesh are declared to be manifeft, " which are these ; adultery, fornication, unclean❝ness,

John vi. 27.

B

+ Rev. vii. 3. &c. Eph. i. 14. Eph. v. 9.

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