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can never produce, and a happy experience of the certainty of the words of truth, from their vital operation within.

From this plain and true account of the state of Christ's church at the beginning, it is clear, that the Holy Ghost must then lay the foundation of faith in Christ in each individual, who believed to the saving. of his soul.

SUNDAY XXII.

CHAP. XXII.

On the constant Agency of the Holy Ghost in all Ages.

HIS miraculous gifts are allowed, by all who re, ceive the Bible, to have been displayed in the first ages of the church. But his divine influences on the heart now are called in question by many professing Christians. They allege that our circumstances totally differ from the state of the primitive believers. Now instead of blasphemous revilings cast on the name of Jesus, he is constantly adored as God in the public service of our church. Instead of bitter prejudices from education against his death as a sacrifice for sin, we are baptized into it, as our redemption, and generally hear it spoken of with reverence. Instead of persecution from friends and relations, enraged for our professing Christianity, we should give offence by not doing so.

From this great change of circumstances, as great a difference has followed in the work of the Holy Ghost.

We see not one miracle wrought in confirmation.

of the gospel now: its own establishment, the most astonishing of all miracles, appeals to every man, The extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost thus ceasing, many make a very false and dangerous conclusion, injuriously restraining to the apostolic times, the teaching, strength, and consolations communicated by the Spirit to all the faithful. A mistake destructive of vital religion, and proceeding from gross ignorance of man's natural blindness and depravity of heart. For if we are to credit the account given of both in scripture, it is certain no man left to himself would ever embrace the truth of God, though the rage of Jews and Gentiles be removed, and the Bible granted to be a revelation from Heaven. The natural man, acting only upon principles which he concludes to be rational, and seeking no illumination from God, "receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Their truth and excellency is only discoverable by the teaching of the Spirit. From this declaration it necessarily follows, that all profitable knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, must proceed from the Holy Ghost at this day, no less than when the apostles first planted churches in the name of Christ. He must take of the things which are Christ's, and shew them unto men. And what was his work immediately after our Lord's ascension, is still so in every one who believes to the saving of his soul, the gift of miraculous powers only excepted. The proof of this assertion, now so much questioned, nay, often vilified as despicable enthusiasm, I shall endeavour to evince from the same instructive declaration in holy writ, which has been already considered in relation to the apostolic age. "When the Comforter is come, he will reprove the world of sin, because they believe not in me.

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Crimes destructive or injurious to society, are scan> dalous, and resented by all as very evil. But the grand provoking offence of thinking so well of ourselves, and so highly of our own virtues, as renders all honor we give unto Christ in the creed, and worship of the church, merely verbal, this offence you never see in the catalogue of faults, which unenlightened men confess chargeable upon themselves. Impure and wicked as we are, we can dare to approach the holy, jealous God in prayer, without having recourse to a Mediator, or feeling, in any degree, that we need the atonement he has made.

To expose this sin in all its malignity, is the work of the Holy Ghost. He must open your eyes (if they be ever opened) to see your own vileness. He must convince you what mean and low thoughts you entertained of the Redeemer, and your base neglect of him, though every name, and office, and glory, that can magnify, exalt, and endear him to mankind, is constantly given him in the oracles of God. The Holy Ghost also can alone enable you to say, with knowledge and certainty, Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And, by his influence only, you can believe in your heart, and boldly make confession with your mouth, that if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, he is anathema maranatha, accursed of God; and, without a divine change, sure to be destroyed by the Lord when he cometh to judge the world. Thus, clearly to see the glory of Christ, and heartily to detest the neglect and dishonor shewn to his person and his works, is a grace bestowed by the Spirit of truth, by whom men are led into this necessary and most valuable knowledge of Christ.

Again, "when the Comforter is come," saith our Lord, "he shall reprove the world of righteousness,

because I go to my Father, and the world seeth me

no more."

To confess we are received into the favor of God by virtue of what another hath done, and that the efficacy of the life and death of Christ derives pardon and everlasting salvation on all his faithful people, is a rock of offence to our haughty spirit, and a palpable absurdity to men, who trust in themselves as righteous. And though we profess (having always been taught to do so) reverence for the word of God, still, if left to ourselves, we make personal worth and moral character our foundation of acceptance with our Judge. Under accusations of conscience we fly to human frailty, and the strength of temptation, as our advocates; or to repentance and amendment, as our propitiation. So obstinately (through our corrupt nature) are we prepossessed in favor of our virtues, that we can talk, and trust too, as if we were as good as the law of God requires we should be, to enter into life by our own righteous

ness.

It is the work of the Holy Ghost to reprove the world for this self-exalting lie; this hateful overrating our tainted and much blemished obedience. He overturns all vain confidence, by establishing the mind in the full knowledge of Christ delivered for our offences, raised again for our justification, appearing in the presence of God with his own blood. From whence the conclusion is irresistible, that even the holiest members of the Christian church, are accepted, not for their own, but Christ's sake; that his going to the Father as Mediator is all our hope, and his name, the Lord our righteousness, our only ground of confidence that God will be favorable unto us, and not remember our sins; that though repentance, love to God, and obedience without reserve, must vouch our relation to Christ, yet neither

singly or united do they cover our transgressions, or obtain for us eternal life; for this we stand indebted to the blood and righteousness of God our Saviour.

But till the Holy Ghost has convinced us of our absolute need of imputed divine righteousness, it is one of the most offensive articles of the Christian's creed. Piqued at the low account this makes of the best virtues in the best of men, we shall clamour against exalting so highly the Saviour's obedience and death, as a disparagement of personal holiness; and the gift of justification unto eternal life, through the redemption that is in Jesus, will be deemed a contempt of good works. To remove this natural blindness and stubborn prejudice, the Spirit of truth must exert his kindly influence: and then what Christ has done, suffered, and pleads before the Father, will be all our salvation, and all our desire.

In one instance more, the text under consideration declares the perpetual agency of the Holy Ghost. "He shall reprove the world of judgment," because the prince of this world is judged; i. e. convince men of the complete victory obtained by Christ over Satan, in order to make all believers in his name more than conquerors too.

Subjection to sin, though the vilest slavery on earth (so very low has man fallen), is earnestly maintained to be unavoidable. Every one (it is said in all companies) has his foible: which, in polite language, means some detestable lust, or intolerable temper, which lords it over him. Unwilling to be set free, we magnify the force of temptation, and our own infirmities, keeping out of sight the mighty Re. deemer, and then say, "Who can stand before all these?"

The Holy Ghost, that grand agent for the glory of Christ, convinces us (if we are ever convinced),

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