fitate in giving credit to fuch perceptible and vifible effects in the prefent day, we may believe that he is not the lefs certain in his influence, nor the less manifefted by his effects.

What are these effects of the Spirit, it were impoffible to inquire at any confiderable length. But confidering the extreme danger, even by the avowal of the advocates of experiences themselves," of miftaking emotions of the "affections for experimental and practical

godlinefs," it may be defirable to notice with as much brevity as poffible fome things which are not, and fome things which are, to be ascribed to his influence.

No impurity of any kind can proceed from him; for he is "the Spirit of holiness 1:"—no hypocrify, nor fraud, nor falfehood of any kind can proceed from him; for he is "the

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Spirit of truth:"-no pride, no vanity, no boafting, no oftentation, no presumptuous confidence in our own fecurity, can be the effect of the Spirit; for he "refifteth the proud, and "giveth grace to the humble ;"—no difobedience, no contempt of lawful order and authority, can be the work of the Spirit; for "he is "not the author of confufion, but of peace;

tracts.

k

Minutes of Conference, 1800. p. 25. Outram's Ex

h Rom. i. 4.

1 John xv. 26.

* 1 Pet. v. 5.

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as

in all churches of the faints1:"-no hatred, or malice; no flander, or evil-speaking; no murder, nor any act or thought of revenge, can be fuggefted by him; for he is the Spirit of peace, of mercy, of patience, of confolation, and of love-in a word, he cannot be fupposed to influence us to do any thing unrighte ous, any thing at all inconfiftent with the will and word of God; for he is the Spirit of righteousness".

And thus by confidering what things are not the effects of the Holy Spirit, we are led to understand on the other hand thofe that are. Purity of heart, fhown by purity of words and actions; true devotion and piety to God, and the walking honeftly, and the fpeaking of truth every man with his neighbour; lowlinefs and meeknefs; "not to think of himfelf

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more highly than a man ought to think, but "to think foberly, according as God has dealt "to every man the measure of faith":" obedience and fubmiffion to "them that have the "rule over P" us, to lawful and conftituted authorities both in church and ftate: mildness, gentleness, and forbearance; and charity, which is approved by our thinking and speaking fa

1 Cor. xiv. 13.

m 1 Theff. v. 23. Jam. iii. 17. Rom. xv. 5. John xvi. 7. 2 Cor. xiii. 1.

vourably of our neighbour, by a willingness to "do good unto all men, and especially unto "them who are of the household of faith," by forgiving thofe, who have injured or offended us, as we would hope for forgiveness of our offences at God's hand, and by endeavouring as much as lieth in us to live peaceably with all men to speak in one word, Faith; not an unfruitful affent to the truths of the Gospel, but a lively and an active faith in Christ: fuch a faith, as in the language of St. Paul, "work"eth by love," or, as St. James expreffes it, "shows itself" by the works of a religious and charitable life; thefe are the most undoubted effects of the Holy Spirit. My brethren, "let

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46

no man deceive you. HE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, IS RIGHTEOUS" And he who thus labours to do, what is commanded by the Spirit of God in the written word of God, may then, and then only, be affured, that he drinks of the living water of the Spirit; and may look forward with humble and joyful hope to the inheritance, purchased by the blood of Christ for his faithful followers, in the eternal kingdom of his Father.

Thither may Almighty God vouchfafe to bring us all by the fanctification of his Spirit, and for the fake and through the mediation of

1 John iii. 7.

his Son! To whom, with Thee, O Father, and Thee, O Holy Ghoft, three perfons in one Godhead, be all honour and glory, in all churches of the faints, now, henceforth, and for ever. Amen.

2

DISCOURSE VI.

JOHN iii. 5.

Jefus anfwered, Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

AT the time that Almighty God first felected the Jews for his peculiar people, he instituted the rite of circumcifion, whereby they were to be admitted into covenant with him. This inftitution was defigned not only for an outward and visible mark to diftinguish those, who profeffed their belief in the true God; but at the fame time for a memorial to remind them of his covenant; and for a monument to incite them to perform their part of the covenant; and for a token that God would perform his part.

This inftitution, which was defigned for the Jews as the chofen people of God, was extended to thofe ftrangers alfo, who became profelytes to the true faith. But in addition