SERM.they themselves are not aware what Manner of Spirit it is, that they are of, Luke ix. 55. It is not the Spirit of GOD, for certain: For GOD is not the Author of Confufion (or as the Margin has it, of Tumult or Unquietness,) but the GOD of Peace, as in all Churches of the Saints, 1 Cor. xiv. 33. But whatever Distaste they may endeavour to give you, with Relation to your true and proper Guides; let them not by any the Power of ordinary Nature, done openly in the Sight of the World. Let Mr. Whitefield do any Thing of this Kind, and we will liften to and attend him. But, whilft he imagines that, all that come to gaze at him, go away his Disciples, his Vanity will furprize us more than his Works. I fhall, however, transcribe another Paragraph from his favourite Author, for his Perufal and Meditation. "All this gives no Warrant for Men, upon the Pretence of "Inspirations, to make void the Laws of GoD and Men at "their Pleasure. For if all Men must be left to this their pre"tended Freedom, and be permitted to act accordingly; every "bold Impoftor, or hot-brained Enthufiaft, may vouch GOD, and then do what he will. When we are carried to do any "Thing, which is beyond the common Duties of Mankind, " and extraordinary; then we are not to go upon an inward "Motion of the Spirit. For no other Body is bound to be"lieve or acknowledge it: And therefore, though the inward "Leadings of the Spirit may fatisfy ourselves, because per"ceived by us; yet, before we propose these to others, we must "have fome other Arguments to make them good by: Nobody being bound to receive thefe, barely upon our own Af"sertion *." # Pag. 130s Means Means put you out of Conceit with yourfelves. But whenever they tell you, that "a Man who conftantly attends on the Means "of Grace, who is exact in his Morals, hu mane and courteous in his Conversation, " who gives much in Alms, and is frequent " in private Duties; that fuch a Man can be as deftitute of any faving experimental "Knowledge of Jefus Chrift, as those upon "whom his Name was never called, and who "ftill fit in Darkness and the Shadow of "Death;" and this only, because he has not that fanciful Experience of the New-Birth, which they themselves can neither explain nor understand; whenever, I fay, they preach or publish any Thing like this *; I befeech you, * See Mr. Whitefield, Journal III. p. 81, 82. Mr. Whitefield (to vindicate the Paffage here cited from his third Journal) writes to the Lord Bishop of Gloucefter, as follows. "He "[Dr. Stebbing,] fays- I fuppofe Mr. Benjamin Seward to "be a Perfon believing in Christ, and blameless in his Converfa“tion, before what I call his Converfion. But this is a direct "Untruth. For it was through the Want of a living Faith in▾ "Jefus Chrift, which he now has, that he was not a Christian "before, but a mere Moralist. Your Lordship knows that our "Article says, 'Works done without the Spirit of GOD, and true Faith in Jefus Chrift, have the Nature of Sin.' And "fuch were all the Works done by Mr. Benjamin Seward, be"fore the Time mentioned in my Journal t." But if Mr. + Journal IV. p. 19. Seward SERM. SERM. 4 you, my Brethren, mind them not: But turn again to St. John, a much greater Divine, and take his Word before them all. His Instruction is this, and with it I shall conclude, Little Children, (faith he) Let no Man deceive you: He that DOTH Righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous, 1 John iii. 7. AndIf ye know that he is righteous; ye know, that every one that DOTH Righteousness, IS BORN OF HIM, Chap. iii. 29. Seward had no Faith in Chrift, what induced him to attend fo conftantly on the Means of Grace? And if his Faith was not a living one, how came it to be productive of such Exactness in bis Morals, fuch Humanity and Courteoufness in his Conversation, fuch Liberality in Almf-giving, and fuch a frequent Performance of private Duties, as Mr. Whitefield witneffes of him? If Mr. Whitefield's own Report of Mr. Seward be a true one; I will venture to affirm, that he was in a much fafer Way, before he became acquainted with Mr. Whitefield, than he was afterwards; and that he was not fo properly converted, as perverted, to Methodism. SERMON SERMON VII. Confirmation neceffary to perfect one Sacrament, and not rendered unnecessary by the other. ACTS viii. 14—17. When the Apostles which were at Jerufalem, heard that Samaria had received the Word of GOD, they fent unto them Peter and John. Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghoft. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: Only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jefus :) Then laid they their Hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. VII. HAT I may treat of this Paffage of 5 ER M. TH able, I will range what I have to say in the Order following, viz. I. FIRST, Q 3 SERM. I. FIRST, I will enquire into the Original of Confirmation. II. SECONDLY, I will fhew that the extraordinary Powers, with which Confirmation was at first attended, is no Argument that it was only defigned for a temporary Ordinance. III. THIRDLY, I fhall prove that the Apostles administer'd it not not fo much for the fake of its extraordinary, as of its ordinary Effects; that they defigned it for a Standing and perpetual Ordinance, and that accordingly it was continued through all Ages of the Church, even after the miraculous Effects of it ceafed. IV. FOURTHLY, I fhall examine what are the ftanding Benefits of it, and to what End and Purpose it is now adminifter'd. V. FIFTHLY, I fhall enquire, who are the proper Candidates for it, or who the Perfons are that ought to receive it. VI. SIXTHLY, I fhall fhew who are the Minifters of it, or whofe Office it is to perform it, VII. SEVENTHLY, I shall explain the Form and Ceremony with which it is performed, And then VIII. LASTLY, |