Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

SERM. When Ananias had projected within himIX. felf to defraud the Apoftles, St Peter reproves him in the following manner; Acts v. 3, Why bath Satan filled thine Heart, to lie to the Holy Ghost? And when Judas refolved in his own Mind to betray our Lord; then, the Evangelift tells us, Satan entered into him, Luk. xxii. 3. The Meaning of which is not, that the Thoughts of the Men, were the Actions of the Devil; But, that fubmitting to Temptation upon il Principles, is being fubject to the Devil; in like manner as acting upon good Principles, is being under the Government of God, under the guidance and influence of the Spirit of Holiness.

THE words of the Text being thus explained, 'tis obvious from thence to obferve, and alan A .1

Ift, THAT, with regard to a perfon's moral or religious character; being a good man, and being full of the Holy Ghost, are one and the fame thing. With regard to the vifible Works or Operations of the Holy Ghost, the cafe is very dif1 Cor. xiii, ferent. A man might speak with the tongues

1.

IX.

tongues of Men, and of Angels; might SE RM. have the Gift of Prophecy; might underftand ail Myfteries and all Knowledge; might have all Faith, fo that he could remove Mountains, and yet poffibly at the fame time, for want of real Goodnefs and true Virtue, might, in the religious eftimation of things, be (as St Paul expreffes it) abfolutely Nothing : And our Saviour himself exprefly mentions Some, who fhould be able to plead that they had prophefied in his name, Mat. vii. and in his Name bad caft out Devils, 22. and in his Name done many wonderful works; and yet, faith he, will I profefs unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. The Reafon of the difference, is plain: Becaufe these external miraculous Works of the Holy Ghoft, being of Ufe only for the conviction of mens Understandings, which is not neceffarily followed with a virtuous difpofition of the Will; hence thefe outward Gifts may very poffibly be found in an unrighteous perfon, who is not himself influenced in his own Practife by the Arguments wherewith he

t

S

[ocr errors]

preaches

SER M. preaches to Others. But the internal IX. Effects of the influence of the Spirit of

God upon the perfon's own Mind; the Moral Effects of the Motives and Arguments of Religion taught by the Holy Ghost, and of the Affiftances afforded by him; these cannot poffibly be separate or different from true Virtue, becaufe Virtue is itself effentially the End of Religion, and the ultimate Defign of all religious Influences. And therefore to be in This fenfe full of the Holy Ghost, and to be a good man, muft neceffarily be one and the fame thing.

2dly, FROM what has been faid, we may obferve; that moral Virtues, and what the Scripture calls the Fruits of the Spirit, are one and the fame thing under different Denominations. The Fruit of the Spirit, faith St Paul, is in all Goodnefs and Righteousness and Truth, Eph. v. 9. And again, Gal. v. 22, The Fruit of the Spirit, is Love, foy, Peace, Longfuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith [Fidelity,] Meekness, Temperance; Against Such, there is no Law. These things, when confidered in themselves, in their

own

own abfolute and intrinfick nature, as be- SER M. ing Difpofitions of Mind essentially and IX. unalterably good; are ftyled Virtues. When confidered with regard to their Effects, in the visible Actions and Practice of men ; they are called Morality. When confidered with refpect to the Root or Spring, the Fountain or Principle from which they flow ; namely, a right Sense of the Reafon and Truth of Things, and a juft Regard to God the Judge of all; they are then ftyled Religion. Laftly, when confidered with refpect to the extraordinary Supports they receive from the Revelation of the Gospel in particular, as being therein explained with clearer and more diftinct Declarations, inforced with ftronger and more powerful Motives, encouraged and promoted with all the Helps and Affiftances of the Spirit of God; in This respect, they are called Fruits of the Spirit.

3dly, By This Rule therefore, may eafily be difcovered and reproved, every kind of Enthusiasm and Superftition. 'Whatever tends not to promote real Virtue and Goodness; much more, what

SER M.ever (under the appearance of Religion} IX. tends to defroy Virtue and Goodness; is the Produce either of Atheism, or of Enthufiafm and Superftition. The Spirit of God, is the Spirit of Holiness and Good nefs; and therefore whofoever lives in the Practise of Any Vice, is certainly, in the religious fenfe, void of the Spirit of God. All other Marks whatsoever, of having the Spirit; are but vain and enthufiaftical. the Tongues of Men and Angels, (as St Paul expreffes it,) and had all Faith, fo that he could work All Miracles; and be not a virtuous man; All This would be only the Operation of the Spirit of God by Him, for the conviction of Others; but To himself, of no Advantage, any more than to a Sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal.

If a man could speak with

[ocr errors]

SERMON

« AnteriorContinuar »