1. Since God was pleas'd to shower down as upon this Day, fuch a variety of Gifts and Graces, do we not then ftand indebted to his Goodness in the largest Sum of Praife and Gratitude, and ought not the profeffions of our Lips, to exprefs the thankfulness of our Hearts, upon this bleffed Occafion? Indeed there is not one part or circumftance of our Redemption but calls for our Praise and Wonder, and if we are to thank God for the Incarnation of his Son to fave the World, for his Example to inftruct and encourage our Obedience,and for his Death and Refurrection as the means and the earnest of our future Bleffedness, so are we to adore and magnifie his Goodness for the miffion of the Holy Ghoft to guide, comfort and support us; and for all those Bleffed Influences, whereby we are fuftain'd and affifted in all the ConAicts of our Chriftian Warfare, and at laft brought off more than Conquerors through him that loved us: Tis worth our while to reflect (and then I'm fure the Reflection muft kindle us into Raptures of Love and Praise) how forlorn and defperate the State of Man kind was before the coming of Chrift.

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The World lay then invelop'd in a moft pityable Ignorance; Men knew ittle of their Duty, and practis'd lefs, and (to use the Apoftles Phrafe) They liv'd without God in the World; on this Account we find the condition of the Gentiles defcrib'd by a State of Darknefs and the Shadow of Death, Luke 1. 79. Thefe I think were very frightful Images of their State: Nay even after a Saviour was born to Mankind, the influence of his Practice and Example was confin'd within the Land of Paleftine, and his Miracles pent up within a narrow Circumference; whereas upon his Commiffion to his Difciples to Profelite and Baptize all Nations,and the Seal of the Spirit beftow'd upon them to warrant this Commiffion, the Church. foon gather'd a plentiful Harveft of Converts,and Believers were daily added unto it; well therefore may we Praife the infinite Goodness of God for confering thofe Gifts on the Apostles and others, to the Efficacy of which the Faith and Hope of Believers is entirely owing, For as St. Paul argues Rom. 10. 14. How could the World have ever believ'd without a Preacher ? and how could they have Preach'd without they had been fent? To which I will venture to subjoin

join, and what would their Preaching have avail'd, without the concurrenc of Tongues and Miracles, Prophecy and Inspiration, to recommend it?

But 2dly, Did it please God to con fer fo many and fo wonderful Gifts upon this Day, how Zealoufly then fhould we pray that he would vouch fafe to fend this Spirit of Grace into our Hearts, and thereby cleance us from all Filthinefs both of Flesh and Spirit? I do not here direct you to hope or pray for those eminent and fingular Gifts, recorded in the Chapter of my Text, for they were peculiar to the Times and Perfons when, and on whom they were beftow'd, and therefore 'tis no better than a wild Enthusiasm in too many among us, to pretend to Talents they are not Mafters of, and to exercife the Gifts of Paftors and Teachers, which no Spirit but that of Pride and Diffention has confer'd upon them. In this Cafe every Man is to act according to the measure of Grace and proportion of Faith dealt out to him, not to invade the Miniftry without a Call, but to obey those that watch over their Souls, and have

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theKeys of Knowledge intrufted to them. But the Graces for which we are to contend at the Throne of Grace, are thofe of a found Faith, and pure Hope, and an ardent Charity; the Spirit we are to invite as a conftant Guefs and Inmate, is the Spirit of Peace and Love, Wifdom and Council, Humility and Patience; and as we are affured the Father will grant this Holy Spirit to all that ask it, fo may wereft as fully perfwaded, that without it we cannot think a good Thought, perform a good Action, or make our felves in any degree acceptable to God. In a word, 'tis this Bleffed Spirit that guides and directs us in every Duty, that fupports and relieves us under every preffure and affliction, and that fanctifies and feals us to the day of Redemption, fo that this is a Treafure very well worth feeking for, efpecially when by feeking we fhall certainly find; and if we do not do fo, we fhall want all that Illumination and Comfort, which diftinguishes the Chriftian from the Heathen State.

But 3dly, Since for our Ufe and Benefit God vouchfaf'd fo wonderful an X 4 Effuß

Effufion of the Spirit, fhould not we then, who enjoy the Light of it in the Gospel of Chrift, Walk as Children of the Light, and bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit in all the Parts and Inftances of an Holy Converfation; fince the Gifts of this Day were given to profit withal? The Lives and Actions of Chriftians fhould make it appear that the Spirit of God is a moft prevailing Principle, and that the Grace of God has not been beffow'd upon them in vain: To fay Truth, it were but a mockery of God to implore the Affiftance of his Holy Spirit, and not walk suitably to its divine and fanctifying Impreffions. Improvement is the proper ufe of every natural Talent, and if we fhall give a fevere Account of the abuse or mismanagement of Strength, Health or Beauty, we must not expect to escape, if we act in defiance to that Spirit of Grace, which if duly attended, would advance and establish us in every good Word and Work: Befides, do we not do the greatest dishonour to God, in ac ing contrary to the good Motions of our Minds? When he has been fogra cious as to fix his Refidence (as it were) within us, and to whifper pious

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