dissuaded from is really evil, or what we are inwardly prompted to is really good, then may we safely and justly ascribe such motions to the Holy Spirit of God. As to our judging of our whole conduct, and whether, or how far, we are therein moved or conducted by the Holy Spirit, we have a safe rule to go by; namely, the rule of God's commandments. "Whosoever is born of "God doth not commit sint;" that is, doth not allow himself in any known sinful habit or practice. "He that keepeth God's commandments," as St. John observes, "dwelleth in God, and God in him "." St. Paul also to the same purpose says, that " if we live in the Spirit," we shall "walk in the Spirit :" and because such walking is best seen by the fruits, he enumerates the fruits of the Spirit in the same place: "The fruit of the Spirit," says he, "is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperancey." In short, the only sure marks and tokens of our being conducted by the Spirit of God, are a serious and steadfast belief of what the same Spirit hath taught us, and a conscientious obedience to all the laws of the Gospel. IV. I pass on to the fourth and last particular, namely, the use and improvement to be made of the whole. 1. One great use is, to be ever mindful of the world of spirits whereunto we belong; and particularly of that blessed Spirit who presides over us, and whose temple we are, while we behave as becomes us. We are used to look upon ourselves as the very lowest order of intelligent beings, and perhaps very justly: but yet I know not what other order of creatures there is which can boast of higher privileges than we; while God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost vouchsafe to make their abode with us, and to accept even of our earthly bodies (while clean and undefiled) as their common temple to dwell in. 1 John iii. 9. u 1 John iii. 24. × Gal. v. 25. This consideration, by the way, may serve to show us the folly of all those who have thought it below the Divine Majesty to take upon him flesh and blood, and have made that their pretext for disputing the divinity of our blessed Saviour. For if it is not below the Majesty even of God the Father, to abide, in some sense, with flesh and blood; how can it be thought beneath the dignity of God the Son, to take our nature upon him? Besides, true essential Majesty can suffer no detriment, can never be impaired by any gracious condescensions: but the greater the Divine condescension is, the brighter is the glory: therefore all the three Persons of the eternal Godhead have condescended to dwell, in godlike manner, even with mortal man. Should not this consideration move us to set the less value upon things below, and to elevate our affections to things above? 2. Another use to be made of the present meditation is, to be ever mindful of putting up our devout prayers to the throne of grace, that the Spirit of God may alway dwell with us, and never depart from us: but then, to make our prayers the more effectual, we should take care to avoid all such evil practices as may offend or grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and move him to desert us, or to grow estranged from us. 3. Thirdly, and lastly, since the benefit of all depends, at length, upon our own willing compliance and hearty endeavours, let us make it our constant resolution to attend the motions and to obey the suggestions of God's Holy Spirit; and so to "work out our own salvation with fear "and trembling"." While God works in us and for us, we must also work for ourselves; or else his grace is sent in vain. Therefore, though the Psalmist prays to God, to create in him a clean heart and a new spirita; yet elsewhere God himself, speaking to his people, says, "Cast away from you all your transgressions, make you "a new heart and a new spirit b." So then a good : heart and a good life are God's work, and they are our work also they are a mixture or compound of both. God will never fail to perform his part, provided only that we are not wanting in ours. Use we therefore first the appointed means of grace, (appointed by God,) such as hearing, reading, praying, and receiving the holy Communion; for these are the ordinary instruments of grace, the conduits or channels in and by which God conveys it. Take we care to comply with and obey the grace of God once received, and to bring forth the fruits of it in our lives and conversations. SERMON XXVII. The Springs and Motives of false Pretences to the Holy Spirit; with the Rules and Marks of trying and detecting them. I JOHN iv. I. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God. OUR present festival a is the memorial of the awful coming of God's Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, pursuant to our Lord's promise; and is particularly dedicated to the honour of that Divine Person, the third Person of the adorable Godhead. Him we ought to honour in every way that either sacred Writ or our own enlightened reason hath pointed out to us: more particularly, in guarding with utmost care against all abuses of that high name; against imputing any fond fancies, or follies, or phrensies to the blessed Spirit of God. Simon Magus, disturbed in head and corrupt in heart, was ambitious of the thing, for the sake chiefly of the name; affecting to give it out, that himself was some great one ";" or some great power "of God." And when he could not obtain it, being altogether unworthy of it, he endeavoured (as we learn from Church history) to make up with fiction and ostentation what was wanting in fact; pretending that at some times he had been the great oracle or representative of God the a Whitsunday. Father to the Samaritans, and at other times of the Son to the Jews, and again of the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles. So industrious was he to magnify himself under fair pretences, thereby hoping to draw the world after him; as he did some part of it, gaining proselytes among the ignorant, credulous, and undiscerning. This kind of traffic for fame was constantly carried on by some or other, under some shape or other, during the first ages of the Church; and it has been continued in various ways and in different forms, through all succeeding ages, down to this day. It is one of the most refined artifices of Satan's policy and God has permitted it for the trial of his faithful servants; that they may be proved and exercised every way, and may learn to be as much upon their guard against any surprise of their understandings, as against any seduction of their wills. It is sufficient, that both the New Testament and Old have given strong, repeated warnings against every temptation of that kind; and have not only commanded us to stand upon our guard, in such cases, but have also laid down marks and rules, whereby to discover, and whereby to repel every wile of Satan, and every the subtilest engine amongst all his devices. : As to this particular, there are many cautions against it inserted up and down in the sacred writings: and I have here made choice of one which appears to be as expressive and affecting as any, delivered by St. John, the latest Apostle: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but "try the spirits whether they are of God;" and so on. Which words very plainly pointed at the false pretenders to the Spirit, appearing in those early days: men that vainly boasted of their being filled with the Holy Ghost, instructed extraordinarily from above, illuminated from on high, and commissioned to teach and gather converts, in opposition to the truly authorized and regular ministers. The Apostle does not exhort us altogether to neglect or pass by every vain pretender, (for then how shall we know whether they are vain or not?) but he bids us susbend our faith, and withhold our assent from them; and, |