would rejoice in the utter extermination of all that is amiable, and virtuous, and wise, and good, both in created, and uncrea

ted being.

Without the influences of this mighty agent, not a sinner would be brought to such a conviction of his guilt and ruin, as to lead him to accept of the method of deliverance, which the wisdom and mercy of God has provided. The Holy Ghost, only, can let light in upon the soul of guilt with such a full, clear, and resistless blaze, as to make the heart melt, and the will bow, and to bring down the apostate outlaw, at the feet of sovereignty.

To lay my remarks and my principle together; and to place both as close by the side of your consciences, as I am able, permit me to entreat those of you, who are impenitent, to be careful, how you treat the strivings of the blessed Spirit with you. He is the great applying agent of the redemption scheme. He is God's last gift to a dying world. Grieve you him away, and you are as certainly undone for eternity, as you have existence. Neglect you to seek with all your souls, his aid, you neglect the only being who can do you good. Trifle you with the gracious and tender movings of the Holy Ghost, and you border hard upon that sin, for which there is forgiveness, neither in this world, nor that which is to come. O, sinner, you are gone for ever, if the Holy Ghost gives you

up.

But the Spirit acts, also, as an agent to promote conviction in the hearts of the regenerate. They are prone to forget, to wander from the path of duty, to lose a sense of divine

things, to do that, often, which is very unseemly for Christians. And doubtless, the people of God would frequently go very far astray, if the Holy Spirit did not reprove them. By his kind and heavenly influences, he opens the eyes of their minds to see their guilt. He softens their hearts and brings them to melt at the feet of forgotten and abused mercy. He awakens them afresh to a deep sense of sin, and calls them to mourn anew over the folly and guilt of their lives. Were it not for his convicting agency, not only would sinners remain. hardened in impenitency, but backsliding Christians also, would never return to duty.

Let the children of God, then, most solemnly feel, that their only hope of being restored to the light of his countenance, and of being brought once more to know the joy of his salvation, lies in the helping agency of the Eternal Spirit. Do you desire to be made sensible of your wanderings; do you desire to see more of the plague of your own heart; would you be brought to feel deeply your dependence, and to realize your obligations, pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit, that he may search you and try you.

2. The Holy Spirit is the great agent in regeneration; and in this particular, his influences are of the last importance to our guilty race.

The necessity of regeneration, is abundantly taught in the Scriptures. It is founded on the affecting and solemn truth, that the heart is totally alienated from God, by wicked works ; that it is enmity against God; utterly destitute of every thing that is morally good, and abhorrent to the sight of a holy, sin

hating God. No man can enter into the kingdom of heaven, no man can enjoy the friendship of God, who is not born again. But it is the appropriate office-work of the Holy Spirit to renovate the soul. The work of regeneration can only be accomplished by his agency, If he does not create us anew in Christ Jesus, we shall die in our sins, and be lost.

Look at your dependence on this blessed Agent, O sinner. Cherish his influences; entreat him, with all your soul, to create you anew, and qualify you for the society and employments of heaven. Feel, that it is by the manner in which you treat the Holy Spirit, that you will be sealed to heaven, or to hell.

Let those who hope that the Holy Spirit has made them alive to God, and to the hope of glory, feel their deep indebtedness to him, for his wonderful condescension. Let them show their gratitude, by their humility, by their meekness, by their holy life, their fervent prayers, and their unreserved devotedness to the glory of him who has redeemed them. Let them guard against a spirit of self-exaltation, and of boasting. Let them walk softly before God. Let them remember, that they will be ready, if they ever reach heaven, to take a very low place, and that the very best evidence they can now have, that they partake in any measure of the Spirit of heaven, lies in their undisguised, and unconstrained willingness to take a low place now.

Ah! my friends, what have we of spiritual attainment, and spiritual loveliness, that we did receive? Can we, in the pride of our self-sufficiency, commit, shall I say, a sort of sacrilege,

by appropriating to ourselves, the praise of a moral worth of character, for which we are wholly indebted to the infinitely condescending agency of the Holy Ghost? O let us never indulge, for a moment, a desire to divide the glory of our salvation, with the great Author of our sanctification. Let us rather labour to have our minds continually, more and more deeply impressed with a sense of our obligation to the blessed Spirit of all grace; and feel, that as we are dependent on him to create us anew, we are also dependent on him for every right thought, and every good feeling.

3. The Spirit is the great agent of sanctification; and in this department of his agency, the saints stand in peculiar need of his influences. In promoting their progressive sanctification, he enlightens their minds, inspires them with adesire for improvement in the knowledge of God, and excites in their hearts an increasing love for the truth. He makes them more and more acquainted with their own hearts; opens to them from time to time their secret, selfish springs of action, and thus awakens in them, a spirit of holy self-loathing and abhorrence. From this state of feeling, they are very naturally led to see, and admire, more and more, the purity and benevolence of God, the odious nature of sin, and the unlovely spirit of selfishness which is so congenial to their remaining, unsubdued corruptions.

The Spirit also inspires them with feelings of benevolence; turns their hearts to desire the salvation of their fellow men; excites them to prayer, and effort; and makes them willing to make sacrifices of ease, and comfort, and worldly goods,

for the glory of the Redeemer, and the good of souls. He often, to their view, clothes vice in an unlovely and disgusting garb, and exhibits virtue in all the adornments of loveliness, and all the attractions of beauty. He discloses under various aspects of charm, and endearment, as well as grandeur, and glory, the perfection, and rectitude of the Divine character, and government.

The methods of his culture are as various, as the instruments by which he is able to operate. He excites, attracts, melts, moves, in such a manner, as to his infinitely benevolent mind seems best adapted for their growth and improvement. He elevates them to joy; awakens them to ardour of devotion; draws forth their tears of penitency; and brings them in humble, childlike submission at the feet of Jesus. He sanctifies to them all their hopes and their fears, all their sorrows, and their joys. Under his kind influences, the tears of their affliction, cleanse the impurities of their hearts; the rod of correction gives strength to their confidence, and fervency to their love; and at length, he makes to them, the very gates of the grave, the portals of eternal day. It is through his agency, that all things are made to work for good to them that love God. Under his mighty guidance, and constantly sanctifying influence, they shall go from strength to strength, through all the night of time, and shall at length be presented faultless before the throne of God and the Father, where the light of uncreated glory shall fall upon their eyes, and the untold wonders of heaven, shall wake their powers, to immortal song. O Christian, did you ever feel deeply