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fance accompany others in doing illf; it is called good- SERM. nature, it is deemed good manners to do it; fo very civilly XXXIII. and genteelly, very nobly and gallantly they go on to perdition, giving up their falvation in compliment and courtefy to one another: then it is but natural for this most debonnair and generous dealing to requite one another with good words at least, or with fome demonstrations of efteem; and it is no lefs natural for those who are thus flattered, to comply with the opinions of others, and to judge of themselves accordingly, thinking themselves good because they are called fo: 8 but to keep ourfelves from being upon fuch occafions, or upon any the like grounds, perniciously cozened, we should confider, that in the great judgment the esteem of men will import nothing of advantage to us; things will pafs there as they are in themfelves, not as they are rated here; according to real truth and intrinfic worth, not according to the conceits or affections of ignorant and partial men: even the things that appear fairest here may prove foul there; perfons much approved and applauded now may then be condemned and rejected; for God feeth not as man feeth; for man looketh 1 Sam. xvi. on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart. John vii.24. God then will fearch the hearts and weigh the Spirits of If. xi. 3. men; he will fcan their defigns and intentions; he will closely examine their tempers, and exactly poife their cir- Pfal.ciii.14. cumstances; he will confider many things infcrutable to men, upon which the true worth of perfons and real merit of actions do depend; wherefore most vain and unfafe it is to rely upon the uncertain opinions of men, or to please ourselves with them; they neither can out of blindness, or will out of paffion, interest, partiality, judge truly.

9. If we defire to judge reasonably about ourselves, or

f Nihil omnino agimus, qui nos per exempla multitudinis defendimus, et ad confolationem noftram aliena fæpe numerantes vitia, deeffe nobis dicimus, quos debeamus fequi. Hier.

Quæ eft hæc tanta levitas animi, quæ tanta vanitas, reli&ta propria confcientia alienam opinionem fequi, et quidem fictam atque fimulatam, rapi vento falfæ laudationis gaudere ad circumventionem fuam, et illufionem pro beneficio accipere? Hier, ad Celantiam.

Prov. xvi. 2.

1 Sam. ii. 3.

SERM, to know our true ftate, the only way is to compare our XXXIII. hearts and lives with the law of God, judging ourselves

by that rule, according to which God will judge us. If we find in our hearts the love of God and goodness, (fincere, although imperfect ;) if we perceive ourselves difpofed to keep God's commandmants, (to live piously, righteously, and foberly in this world;) then may we have 1 John iii. a fatisfactory hope concerning our state; then we may, as St. John faith, have confidence toward God, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleafing to him: but if we do not find that mind in us, and that practice, we, in conceiting well of ourselves upon any other grounds, do but flatter and impose upon ourfelves; if all the world fhould account us good, and take

21, 22.

us to be in a good cafe, we should not at all believe them, 1 John iii. 7. or mind them; for, Let no man deceive us; he that doeth 1 Cor. iv. 4. righteoufnefs, he (and he alone) is righteous, is the most

faithful advice and unquestionable fentence of St. John. It is therefore (that by refting on fuch falfe bottoms we be not abused, and drawn thence to neglect the amendment of our hearts and ways, in order to our final account) a duty incumbent on us thus to fearch our hearts and try our ways, and accordingly to judge ourselves: the doing which with care and confcience would difpofe us to pre1Cor. iii.31. pare for the judgment we fpeak of; for, If, faith St. Paul, Gal. vi. 3. we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged, or not

Pf. lxxvii. 6, 10.

condemned.

10. The confideration of this point will guard us from infidelity and from impatience in regard to the providential difpenfation of affairs here: confidering it, we fhall not be offended at paffages otherwife unaccountable and fcandalous to Providence; we fhall not wonder that fo many diforders occur in the world; that right is perverted, that fraud and violence do prevail, that vice doth reign; we shall not complain of the adverfities incident to good men, nor repine at the profperities of bad men; we fhall not be diffatisfied with any event here befalling ourselves or others; fince from hence it doth most evidently appear, that all these things are confiftent with the wisdom, good

nefs, and justice of God, and do affuredly tend to the de- SERM. claration of those glorious attributes; yea, that confe- XXXIII. quently the worst accidents here, if we are faithful to God and to ourselves, will finally conduce to our advantage and benefit, according to that of the Apostle, We know Rom. viii. that all things work together for good to them that love God.

28.

11. In fine, there is no confideration able to promife fo much efficacy toward the roufing our paffions, or duly ordering and fettling them upon religious practice. It especially is apt to fet on work thofe two grand engines and mighty springs of activity, hope and fear; and with them to raise their respective companions, joy and grief: for how, if we have been very culpable in the tranfgreffion or neglect of our duty, can we reflect on this point without being feized with an hideous dread of coming to fo ftrict a trial, of falling under fo heavy a fentence? how can we think of it without a bitter remorfe? Hard as rocks furely we must be, if fuch thoughts do not pierce us; utterly dead and fenfeless muft our hearts be, if they do not feel the fting of fuch confiderations; more stupid and ftony we then are, than the diffolute Felix, who could acts xxiv. not without affrightment hear plain discourse concerning the judgment to come; yea, more inconfiderate and in-. fenfible we appear, than those obftinate fons of darkness, the devils themfelves, who believe and tremble thereat.

25.

Jam. ii. 29.

If, on the other hand, we are confcious to ourselves of having seriously and carefully endeavoured to please God, and obey his commandments, how can we think of it without a comfortable hope of finding mercy and favour in that day? If in our hearts we can fay with St. Paul, I have combated the good combat, I have finished (or I have 2 Tim. iv. continued) the race, I have kept the faith; then may we hopefully fay after him, as he said confidently before us, From henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which in that day the Lord, the righteous Judge, fhall render unto me. If by virtue of the faving grace of God, which hath appeared to all men, and according to its holy inftructions, we have denied ungodliness and worldly lufis, Tit. ii. 12,

SERM. living foberly, righteously, and piously, in this prefent world; XXXIII. then may we joyfully expect the blessed hope, and the ap

Tit. ii. 9.

pearance of the great God and our Saviour Jefus Chrift;

then may we indeed heartily wish, cheerfully hope, and earneftly pray for that day; doing which is the character, 1 Cor. i. 7. and hath been the practice of the best men; The Lord, Phil. ii. 20. faith St. Paul, will render the crown of righteousness to all 2 Tim.iv.8. them who love his appearance; and, Looking for and haftRev. xxii. ening the prefence of the day of God, faith St. Peter, intimating the practice of the primitive Christians; and, Yea, come, O Lord Jefus, is St. John's petition in the close of the Revelation, and may be the prayer of those who have the like confcience and affections with him.

2 Pet. iii. 12.

20.

1 Thef. v.

23.

I conclude, wishing and exhorting that the meditation of this most important affair may be continually prefent to our minds; that we may feem, with that devout man, always to hear the last trump founding in our ears, and through our hearts; that fo with a pious awe and with a well-grounded hope we may expect the coming of our Lord, and may love his appearance; that from hence, being effectually restrained from all impious and vicious conversation, being induced to a circumfpect and watchful pursuit of all piety and virtue, guiding our lives inoffenfively in all good confcience toward God and man, we may in the end be able to render a good account, and with comfort unexpreffible may at that day, from the mouth of our Judge, hear those happy words, Well done, good and faithful fervants, enter into your Mafter's joy; Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Unto the poffeffion whereof, Almighty God in his infinite mercy, by the grace of his Holy Spirit, vouchfafe to bring us, through the merits of our bleffed Saviour Jefus Chrift; to whom for ever be all glory and praise. Amen.

The very God of peace fanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and foul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

I believe in the Holy Ghoft.

SERMON XXXIV.

THE DIVINITY OF THE HOLY GHOST.

I COR. iii. 16.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

My purpose is at this time, for our edification in Chrif- SERM.

tian knowledge concerning that grand object of our faith XXXIV. and author of our falvation, the Holy Ghoft; and for arming us against erroneous opinions about him, fuch as have been vented in former ages, and have been revived in this; to explain briefly the name, nature, and original of the Holy Ghoft, (according to what appears discovered of him in the facred writings;) to confider alfo the peculiar characters, offices, and operations, which (according to the myfterious economy revealed in the Gofpel) are affigned and attributed to him; fo that incidentally by teftimonies of Scripture, and arguments deduced thence, I fhall affert the principal doctrines received in the Church, in oppofi tion to the most famously heterodox dogmatists that have appeared. For the doing which this text of St. Paul doth minifter good occafion: for the full explication thereof doth require a clearing of the particulars mentioned, and

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