the Benefit of fome divine Communications; it is probable that under the Notion of a divine Afflatus, or Infpiration, he did not only mean fome preternatural Illuminations to direct the Understanding, but, fome Influence to incline the perverfe Tendency of the Will, and mend the deprav'd Affections of the Heart, fince he must have been fenfible that They ftood in as much Need of fome foreign Aid, as the intellectual Faculties. Some others among them deliver'd this Notion in ftill more exprefs Terms. Tho' the Old Teftament contains no express Promife of the Affistances of the Spirit, it is evident that the holy Men under That Difpenfation had a Perfuafion of fuch Affistance, and prayed for it. The Royal Prophet is a ftrong Proof of the Fact. He prays God to open, and turn bis Eyes; to unite and incline bis Heart; to make him to go; to guide and lead him; to create in him a clean Heart, and renew a right Spirit within him. Solomon, alfo, fays that God giveth Wisdom; that he directs Mens Paths, and giveth Grace to the lowly. But, that these great Advantages were to be enjoy'd in fuller Measure under the Chriftian Covenant of Grace and Truth, than under the Jewish Difpenfation, we learn from the Prophecies. Take That remarkable one of Jeremiah for an Inftance. I will put my Law in their inward Parts, and write it in their Hearts, They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest. But, Ezekiel still more more plainly. A new Heart alfo will I give, and a new Spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the ftony Heart out of your Flefb, and I will put my Spirit within you, and caufe you to walk in my Statutes, and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them. And, that there Prophecies do relate to the Gospel Difpenfation cannot be question'd fince Jeremiah's Words, to which the others are equivalent, are cited and apply'd to it in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Our bleffed Saviour in his last Discourse to his Difciples tells them, "That his heavenly Fa "ther wou'd give the holy Spirit to every one "that asked him." Again, he fays " My Fa❝ther and I will make our Abode with him." Without me ye can do Nothing. Our Bodies are faid to be Temples of God, holy Habitations to him through the Spirit. St. Paul speaks of the Love of God fhed abroad in our Hearts by the Spirit. He prays often for the Churches, that God wou'd ftablish, comfort, and perfect them, enlighten and strengthen them. It is faid, that God open'd the Heart of Lydia, so that she attended to the Things that were Spoken of St. Paul. And God is faid to work in us both to will and to do of his good Pleasure. These and many other Places put it beyond all Manner of Doubt that there are inward Communications from God to the Powers of the Soul, by which we are made both to apprehend the Truths of Religion, to remember, and reflect on them, and to confider and follow them more more effectually. Some Places, indeed, where the Gifts of the Spirit are spoken of, either prophetically in the Old Teftament, by way of Promife by our Saviour in the New, or by way of Doctrine, Direction, Exhortation and Comfort by the Apoftles, may fignify more immedi ately thofe extraordinary Powers of working Miracles for the Establishment of Christianity; yet, many of them, if not all that I have cited, are incapable of being restrained to thofe temporary Gifts which ceased after the Establishment of Chriftianity, but are equally applicable to Chriftians in general, and must relate to the ordinary and common Exigencies of Chriftians to the End of the World. But, how are we to acquire these Affistances of the boly Spirit which are thus abfolutely neceffary to a Chriftian Life? Before we can receive any Nutriment from the Stock, we must become Branches by Ingraftment. Before our carnal Nature can receive any new Principle of fpiritual Life, we must be born again of Water and the holy Spirit at our Baptifm. By this divine Institution we, who were by Nature dead to all good Difpofitions and Refolutions, acquire an inward Principle of Holiness. But, as the natural Life must be supported by continual Supplies, and our Strength and Vigour will be in Proportion to our Care in the Ufe of the common Means of Health, fo our. Spiritual Growth and Improvement will keep Pace with our Endeavours, and Attendance upon > upon thofe Ordinances which God has appointed as the Means of conveying his Grace. God doth not infpire us with the Knowledge of our Duty, as he imparted divine Truths to the Apostles; neither will he inftantaneously and irrefiftibly infufe good Difpofitions into us, as he converted St. Paul. We must diligently read, and seriously meditate. Like holy David, we must make God's Law our Study, as often as the neceffary Affairs of Life will permit, and always upon the Sunday, the Day fet apart, by the Authority of God and Man, for that Purpose. We must commune with our Heart in our Chamber and be ftill, retir'd from the Noife and Buftle of the World; and then we may be affur'd of God's Bleffing upon These Means of Knowledge and Improvement. Provided always, that we ask for it by diligent Prayer. God will give his Spirit, but it is to thofe who ask it. Afk and ye Shall have, feek and ye shall find, knock and it Shall be open'd unto you; which is a plain Declaration that if we obftinately refufe, or carelessly neglect, to use these appointed Means, viz. Prayer, we are not to expect his Grace. But publick and joint Prayer, as it does more Honour, fo it is more acceptable to the fupreme Being than private Devotion; and he has affur'd us that he will be more ready to receive, and answer thofe Petitions. Where two or three are gather'd together in his Name, there is God more immediately present by his F Angels, Angels, and by his gracious Acceptance, and Influence. Such Devotions receive Strength not only from their Union, but from the Sacredness of the Place where they are offer'd, and of the Perfon who offers them. They are, both of them, in the most folemn Manner dedicated to God himfelf for That Purpofe; and it wou'd be reasonable to believe, tho' he had made no exprefs Declaration of his Will, that he thou'd accompany the Obfervance of his own Inftitutions with peculiar Marks of his Favour. And, if there can be any one Act of CHRISTIAN Worfhip preferable to another; in its Nature more affecting; in its Inftitution more folemn; in its Effects more beneficial, and a greater Means of Grace; it is the bleed Sacrament of our Lord's Supper that divine and awful Inftitution,' appointed for the Commemoration of his Death, which was the Purchase of all the Gifts of the holy Spirit. There we have the clofeft Union and Communion with Chrift, of which we are: capable in this Life. There we dwell in him, and be in us; we are one with Chrift, and he with us. There, therefore, we may expect to receive the most intimate Communications of his heavenly Grace and Favour. After what has been faid it can be no Wonder to you, if thofe who wilfully and habitually forfake the Affembling themselves together for Chriftian Worship [which is not only a neceffary Manner of profeffing our felves |