Secondly, these being the necessary means of salvation, it was likewise necessary to reveal to the world the doctrines concerning the Son and the Holy Spirit: and the belief of these doctrines is necessary to every Christian, as far as the right use of the means depends on the right faith and belief of the doctrines.

'He that hath the Son,' says St. John, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life :' and again, whosoever denieth the Son, hath not the Father.' For since we can only come to the Father through the Son, to deny the Son is to cut off all communication between us and the Father. The same may be said of the blessed Spirit, through whom we are in Christ: If any man,' says St. Paul, have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his :' our blessed Lord has himself told us, That this is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.'

When we were to be put under the conduct of the Spirit, and all our hopes depended on our obedience to and compliance with his holy motions; was it not necessary to inform us who this Spirit is? to let us know that he is sufficient to the office allotted him; that knowing perfectly the mind of God, even as the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man, he is able fully to instruct us and to direct us in the ways of God; that being infinite and unconfined in time or place, he is equal to the extensive charge committed to his care, and can be ready at all times and in all places to succor the faithful servants of God; that being the Spirit of power and of might, he is able to rescue us out of all dangers, and protect us against all the powers and principalities of the kingdom of darkness? It may be hard perhaps to human reason to conceive that this holy Spirit is the eternal Spirit of God, and so intimately united with God, as to know the mind of God as perfectly as the spirit of a man which is in him knoweth the mind of man; but it would be harder still to believe that the Spirit could do what is ascribed to him in Scripture, without believing him to be this great and glorious person. It is a more rational act of faith, to expect from the eternal Spirit of God the sanctification of our souls and bodies, spiritual aid and assistance in all our trials and temptations, and whatever else is necessary to our salva

tion; than it would be to expect the same things from any other spirit, of whose power and attributes we knew nothing. The power and mightiness of the Spirit, made known to us by God, is a reasonable, a just foundation for the hope and confidence we have in him; but were we ignorant of his power, our trust in him would be without ground; and we should lose this boasting, which is now the glory of our faith, that ‘ we know in whom we have believed.' Since therefore, by the determinate counsel of God, the redemption of the world was to be the work of his Son: and the sanctification of it the work of his Spirit; he has dealt with us more like reasonable creatures, in declaring to us the dignity and power of the persons in whom we are to trust, than he would have done, had he required of us the same faith and reliance on those persons, without declaring to us how able and powerful they are to help us. If therefore it be reasonable for God to save the world, by redeeming it by his Son, by sanctifying it by his Holy Spirit, it cannot be unreasonable for him to make known his Son and his Spirit to the world, that all men everywhere may by the one Spirit of God, and through the only Son of God, approach to the Father. And this shows how foolishly men charge God, when they complain of the heavy imposition laid on their faith and their understanding by the gospel doctrines concerning the Son and the Holy Spirit. God has revealed this for our sakes only, not for matter of speculation, or for the enlarging of our knowlege; but that, having a reasonable ground of assurance and hope in him, we may, through faith and patient abiding, inherit the promises.

You see now what every Christian has to expect and hope for from the assistance of the Spirit, and intercession of the Son of God. We all were strangers to God, and children of disobedience; we are now reconciled to God, and can approach him as our loving Father. Having thus access to the Father, our all depends on the use we make of this great privilege. By having access to God we are not placed in a state of security, but in a state of probation; we are received as prodigal sons come home; if we continue obedient, we may hope for the inheritance; but if we turn prodigals again, our case will be desperate. This is the condition of Christians. The

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Scripture has told us what our present state is; but as to our future state, that depends on our obeying, or not obeying, the commands of God. And those who look for farther security, and expect to be ascertained what their future state will be, do very much impose on themselves, and ascribe to the Holy Spirit an office of which the Scripture knows nothing. God has done and will do great things for you; let not this make you vain and presumptuous, but let it excite your care, that the gift of God may not be bestowed on you in vain; and always bear in mind the Apostle's advice, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.' Some imagine that God's working with us is a reason why we should be confident and secure of our salvation: but you see St. Paul was of another mind. He writes to those who certainly had the Spirit; for he tells them that God did work in them both to will and to do: but does he tell them that they were safe and secure and out of all danger? No, he says nothing like it; on the contrary, he calls on them to fear and tremble, lest, having received so great a gift, they should by their negligence, as thinking themselves secure, forfeit all the hopes of the gospel.

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God says, with respect to the old world, My spirit shall not always strive with man:' the case is the same under the gospel. The Spirit of God works with us, but will not always strive with us; and therefore, whilst we may have the help of God's Spirit, we must lay hold of the opportunity and work with him. And whoever considers this, will find he has great reason to tremble and fear; for if he loses the opportunity of making the best use of the assistance of the Spirit when it is offered, he may lose the Spirit and himself for ever. Let us therefore work whilst we have the light, and continually pray in the words of our church, O Lord, take not thy Holy Spirit from us.'

INTRODUCTION: showing what is taught in the compass of the text in discoursing on the proposition, that faith is the gift of God, it is shown, first, what the Scripture doctrine on this head is; secondly, some considerations proper to the subject are suggested.-I. The faith spoken of in the text is such a faith as is necessary to salvation: various significations of the word faith in Scripture laid down; shown not to be that faith of which the Apostle speaks: how far the natural gifts of sense and reason can carry us, explained: the result is barely the assent or dissent of the mind to the things under inquiry. With regard even to these first rudiments of faith, our will and inclination are necessary for the exercise of that reason and knowlege which may lead us to them: our will and inclination shown to be generally averse to this inquiry: example drawn from men's conduct at the first preaching of the gospel to enable us fairly to examine the truth of a divine revelation, a right disposition of mind is required, according to our Saviour's own words John vii., 17.: this disposition is not natural to man: to prepare his mind therefore for the reception of gospel truth, is the work of the Spirit; this shown by many examples to be the language of Scripture. Faith also shown to signify trust and reliance on God, and on his promises made by his Son saving faith described as an active principle, influencing the mind to obedience to the law of God: this the faith to which we owe our growth in Christian graces and virtues : this the faith spoken of by St. Paul. Faith shown to be made up of the concurrence of the will and understanding; the latter

of which is the rule to judge truth by; but the former not the right rule of action without the aid of the Holy Spirit: this shown from Scripture.-II. Considerations on the subject suggested. It is shown that our ascribing faith to the operation of the Spirit, does not make it cease to be a reasonable act of the mind; and that the gift of the Spirit leaves a man free to examine the proofs of religion, influencing his mind neither one way nor the other in judging of the truth. Faith is not perfected but through obedience: it is one thing to judge with reason, and another to act with reason: the spirit is given to us that we may not only think, but act, like reasonable creatures. If God had ever promised to force and subdue our reason to a belief of the gospel, he might have spared the signs, and wonders, and miracles which accompanied it. The method by which we arrive at the knowlege of spiritual truths shown from the second chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. Second consideration: the Scripture is not express regarding the measure in which the Spirit is given: yet all to whom it is given do not obey it; whence it is evident that all who are lost are not lost for want of God's aid. He has engaged to give us all things necessary to salvation: as far therefore as the Spirit is necessary, we are sure of it: as men improve in holiness, they contract a greater familiarity with the Spirit: the inference from this is, that we should endeavor to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for God worketh in us, &c.; and if we cease, he will withdraw his grace. Conclusion signs and marks of divine grace in the regenerate are obedience to the will of God and good works.