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means, does the Spirit of God Sanctify the Sons of Men, and is therefore properly and peculiarly, and in distinction to all other Spirits, called the Holy Spirit; and thus I have, as plainly and as briefly as I could, out of the unerring words of Scripture defcrib'd to you, both the Nature and Office of the Holy Ghost; his Nature, in that he is the Spirit of God, and truly God; his Office, in that he is the Holy, the San&tifying Spirit.

And of this Spirit it is, that St. Paul in my Text fo follicitoufly and in the first place enquires of the Disciples that he met at Ephefus, Acts 19. 1. whether they had receiv'd Him or no. Whereby he fhews us the absolute Neceffity there is for all Chriftians to receive the Holy Ghost, without whose dwelling within us we cannot be the Temples, without whofe leading us we cannot be the Sons of God. We all of us have receiv'd this Spirit at our Baptifm, wherein the Holy Gholt, into whofe Name we were baptiz'd, first regenerated us, and then took up his Dwelling in us, and would still abide in us and actuate us, and direct and affift and comfort us, if we gave but fuitable Reception, any kind Entertainment to fo Divine a Guest. But, Alas! on the contrary, by our Deafness to fecret Whisperings and holy Suggestions, have we not rather, as St. Paul fpeaks, griev'd the Holy Spirit of God; have

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we not by obftinate Impenitency, as St. Stephen fpeaks, refifted the Holy Ghost, have we not quench'd the Spirit,have we not finally by a continuance in Sin and thofe Pollutions, which it is impoffible that That Spirit of Holiness and Purity can endure to dwell with, driven him and quite chas'd him away? made him pronounce the fearful Migremus hine, and leave the Place he had taken up in our Hearts, to be fill'd with wicked and impureSpirits, which furely will come and take poffeffion there, whenever he deferts us? Would we know and be af fur'd whether yet the Holy Ghoft is abiding

in us? ? Would we be fatisfy'd of this that fo highly concerns us? There is but one fure way to come to this knowledge, As the Tree is known by its Fruit, fo is the Holy Ghoft. Now the Fruits of the Holy Ghost, as St. Paul reckons them up Gal. 5. are thefe, Love, Foy, Peace, Long-fuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meekness, Temperance; On the contrary, the Deeds of the Flefb are thefe, as the fame Apoftle there enumerates them, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lafciviousnefs, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Herefies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenness, Revellings, and fuch like. This is the Glais wherein we may behold our felves, whether we have the Holy Ghost within us or the Spirit of P 2 the

the Flesh. If our Works are Virtuous and Good, confonant to the Rule of God's Holy Word, favouring and tafting not of the Flesh but of the Spirit, then we may affure our felves that the Holy Ghoft dwells in us, and has confecrated us by his inhabitation to be a Temple to himself; and if fo, let us ever Worship, ever Obey, ever Listen to him and never Grieve him, and withall let us give all Praife and Thanks to our Lord and Saviour Chrift, for the gracious Exchange that he has made with Us, by taking of Us our Flefb, and sending to Us bis Spirit! But if we find by this impartial Examination, that by our Sins, if we have not quite driven this Bleffed Spirit out, yet we have justly provok'd him to depart, let us serioufly confidering the infinite danger that inevitably follows his withdrawing from us, Mortifie all thofe Deeds of the Flesh which

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have heard defcrib'd by the Apostle, caft out those Impurities that grieve and offend him, and fo cleanse our Hearts that they may be fit Manfions for the God of Purity to continue and refide in. Ever Praying in the words of Holy David and our own Church, O God make clean our Hearts within Us, which is the juft preparation for the Next Petition, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from Us.

To which Holy Spirit, together with &c.

SERMON X.

SERMON X.

EPHES. II. 8, 9, 10.

For by Grace are ye Sav'd, through Faith,and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of Works, left any Man fhould boaft: For we are his Workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus unto good works, which God hath before ordain'd that we should Walk in them.

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T is a folemn Charge of St. Paul to Titus, whom he had made Bishop of Crete, and left there to provide all things that might conduce to the Edification of that Church, Thefe things I will

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that thou affirm conftantly, that they which have believ'd in God, might be careful to maintain good works, Tit. 3. 8. And it is equally the Duty of every Minifter of the Gospel to take care, that as the Neceffity of Good Works fhould always be urg'd and prefs'd as indifpenfable Qualifications, fo also that Faith fhould at the fame time have its just Prerogative afferted, of being the proper and immediate Inftrument of Salvation. But further and chiefly to take efpecial heed, that how great fhare foever either Faith or Good Works may claim, or in what manner foever they may be allow'd to contribute to this great Work, yet in the End all fhould be entirely afcrib'd to Grace, To the exceeding Riches of God's Grace, in his kindness to us, through Chrift Jefus,Ephef.2.7.

For if we are fav'd through Faith, yet it is by Grace; neither is that Faith of our felves, it is the Gift of God. And tho' God has made Holiness the Condition of Happiness, and in order to that has before ordain'd that we fhould walk in good works, yet is Our Salvation not of Works, left any Man fhould boast: left any Man fhould fondly imagine, that He could merit by them, or of Himself be able to perform them; for if we do them, this is also the Gift of God, it is because We are his Workmanship, created in Christ Jefus to Good Works.

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