*

nor flackens its labours to promote it? Have you that love, which endureth all things; that love, which is ready to fuftain hardships, to encounter dangers, to ftand the brunt of ridicule and fcorn ; if thus it may be enabled to forward its firft and deareft purpofe, the advancement of the temporal and eternal welfare of mankind? If the attainment of this fcriptural love of your neighbour be the object of your fervent withes, of your continual fupplications; then are you already under the teaching of the Spirit of God. If your difpofitions and your conduct towards your neighbour correfpond with thefe characteristics of Chriftian charity; then hath God empowered you by the Holy Ghoft reverently to obey the command, Let him who loveth God, love his brother alfo: then have you purified your foul in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren (n).

There yet remains one clafs of gifts of the Holy Spirit, which requires, even in this very imperfect enumeration, briefly to be noticed: that clafs, namely, which refpects the government of the fenfual appetites. Among the fruits of the Spirit exprefsly mentioned by St.

(n) 1 John, iv. 21. I Pet. i. 21.

Paul

Paul in his Epiftle to the Galatians, we find temperance (o). Among the works of the flesh, which in the fame chapter he describes as opposed to the fruits of the spirit; for the flesh lufteth against the fpirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and thefe are contrary the one to the other; fins of impurity ftand foremost. This obfervation may be extended to those portions of the Epifles to the Ephefians and to the Coloffians, in which he treats of the fame fubject (). Purity, therefore, in its largest import and in its minuteft fubdivifions; purity of thought, of word, and of deed, is the gift of the Holy Ghoft, Are you able to prove that thefe fruits of the Spirit are habitu ally brought forth and ripened in you? Are temperance and purity, diftinguishing virtues in your character? In proportion as your mind abhors the oppofite crimes, you are under the teaching of the Spirit of God. you are actually preferved from fulfilling the lufts of the flesh; then have you decifive evidence that you walk in the fpirit.

If

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Having placed before you thefe felect examples of the proofs by which cordial acceptance and improvement of divine grace are to be afcertained; let me remark, in quitting

(0) Gal. v. 23; and fee the whole paffage, 16-25. (p) Ephef. v. 3-9. Col. iii 5-15.

this branch of the fubject, the unequivocal demonftrations by which St. Paul evinced that his heart was under the effectual influence of the Holy Spirit. What repentance and hu mility, what faith, what gratitude, what love towards God and our Saviour, breathe in the following expreffions! I was a blafphemer, and a perfecutor, and injurious. I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apofile; because I perfecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am. I thank Chrift Fefus our Lord who bath enabled me. Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners, of rebom I am chief. For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me firft Chrift Jefus might shew forth all longSuffering for a pattern to them, which should bereafter believe on him to life everlafling. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only deife God, be bonour and glory for ever and ever. Amen (q). When he learns that the continuance of his thorn in the flesh will redound to the honour of his Lord; the infirmity which had fo deeply grieved him inftantly becomes a theme of rejoicing Moft gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmi(9) 1 Cor. 1. xv. 9, 10. 1 Tim. i. 12, 13. 15— 17.

ties, in reproaches, in neceffities, in perfecutions, in diftreffes for Chrift's fake (r). Hear his ardent declarations of affection for mankind, whether of the Jewish, or of the Gentiles race. I fay the truth in Chrift, I lie not, my conscience alfo bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost; that I have great heavinefs and continual forrow in my beart. For I could wish that my felf were accurfed from Chrift; that I were fubjected to the temporal vengeance about to overtake the Jewish nation; or, as fome learned expofitors understand the original phrafe, that I were made, after the example of Chrift, a facrifice unto death; for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. My heart's defire and prayer to God for Ifrael is, that they might be Javed. I, Paul, the prifoner of Jefus Chrift for you Gentiles, defire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you. Yea, and if I be offered upon the facrifice and fervice of your faith; I joy and rejoice (s). Obferve his carneft folicitude to fubdue the corrupt appetites of human I keep under my body, and bring it into fubjection; left that by any means, when I bave preached to others, I myself fhould be a

nature.

(r) 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. () Romix. 14. x. 1. Eph. 13. Philipp. ii. 17. See on Rom. ix. 3. Doddridge in loc. and Dr. Waterland's Sermons, vol. 1. P. 77.

caft-away (t). The teftimony which in thefe paffages of his writings the apoftle incidentally bears concerning himself, is true. It was confirmed by his life and by his death. The inde fatigable zeal which he exerted for the advancement of the gofpel; the long courfe of fufferings which he cheerfully endured until they were clofed by martyrdom; bore witness upon earth and will bear witness at the day of retribution, that his heart was governed by the Spirit of God.

In concluding this difcourfe, for the length to which the foregoing obfervations have extended themfelves, compels me to defer to another occafion the confideration of the remainder of the fubject; let me recommend to the attention of every perfon prefent, the character of that eminent apoftle. Was he bound by the fovereignty of God, by the mercies of creation, of prefervation, and of redemption, to be a faithful fervant and foldier of the Lord Jesus? So likewife are you. Did he confefs the obligation? You have confeffed the fame obligation times without number. Was the hand of Omnipotence ftretched forth to help him? It is at all times ftretched forth to help you. Were life and death eternal (4) Cor. i. 27.

fet