"bodies and fpirits will be changed, changed in an "inftant. You will not find a mighty power upon

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you fenfibly, but you will find a mighty work, "whereby you will find yourselves not to be the men you were; your bodies will fhine as the fun in an inftant. So it is in regeneration: there is a mighty change wrought in the foul; but if a man will judge of it by what he feeleth; if he will judge "of it by any violent power put forth in it, there is "exceeding little-a man fecleth nothing; he feeleth "ftirrings and workings in his fpirit indeed, as there "will be when a man is thus changed; there will be an elevation of the spirit and of the body at the ❝ latter day; but for any violent work, there will be So oftentimes it is in the work of grace in 66 us, it is the fame power that makes us new crea"tures, that raifeth faints' out of the grave from the "duft, and as much is in the one as the other."

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none.

The Holy Ghoft, by the preaching of Chrift crucified, is pleafed to quicken dead finners, bringing home the gofpel with power to their hearts; he fubdues their wills, and inclines them to the obedience of faith; by revealing Chrift in the gospel to their understandings, they are enlightened; and by revealing him in their hearts to their confciences, he forms him in them as their hope of eternal glory. Thus they are brought to know him that is holy-him that is true, and to know themselves to be in him that is true, being made one spirit with the Lord. Sirs, I muft, for the glory of God, remind you, that we cannot know Jefus and his falvation but by the gospel; that all the

inward and spiritual revealings of Chrift by the eternal Spirits are exactly agreeable to the written word. I tremble at it, when I hear any speak of their forming up a notion or conception of their own, of Chrift in their minds. I hate and abhor it as I do popery.

It

is a spiritual revelation of Chrift, as a fpiritual Jefus, revealed to the foul by the Spirit, which the Scripture fpeaks of; it is, if I mistake not, expreffed by Dr. Owen, in fuch words as thefe:-" The Spirit draws

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a picture, or creates an idea of Chrift upon the foul. "As the light and beams of the fun give evidence of "the existence of that glorious luminary, fo the light "and beams of the fun of everlasting righteoufness,

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fhining upon and into the hearts of believers, give " evidence of him, and of personal intereft in him.

There is an holy communion between Chrift and believers, carried on in their fouls by the Spirit of Christ, who makes many precious difcoveries of Chrift unto them; giving them fpiritual views of his tranfcendent glory and eternal worth and excellency; and he discovers Chrift to his people as exactly suitable to their state and cafe. Under views of guilt, he presents them with a view of the Redeemer as having been made fin and a curfe for them. The redeeming efficacy of his blood he exhibits to their view, leading them to confider that it cleanseth from all fin. When they view the holy requirements and immutable nature of God's moral law, he prefents to their faith, Jefus, as JEHOVAH their righteoufnefs. If they feel, and have an increasing view of their wants, he gives them a view of the fulness of grace in Christ; and as they

perceive their ignorance, he leads them to Chrift in the exercife of faith for divine inftruction. As they perceive their guilt, and feelingly mourn for it, he increases their eflimation of, affection for, and confidence in the interceffion of their great high Prieft. As they experience the rebellion of their wills, he gives them to view Jefus as King-mediator, whose kingdom is a moft glorious principality of grace; who rules in the hearts of his faints, and orders all things for them he has their enemies under his feet, and will make his people conquerors, and more than conquerors, through him. The Holy Spirit reveals more and more of Chrift, giving the believer fuch views of Jefus as words cannot exprefs, and that in an holy, fupernatural, and heavenly manner. It is not the natural ignorance which may be in a believer, is any bar to this. Among fuch as really know the Lord, there are fome whofe knowledge confifts chiefly in knowing him in the holinefs, harmony, fpirituality, and majefty of divine truth. Some of enlarged faculties are greatly enlightened into the doctrines of grace, and have fellowship with God by means of them; whilft others, of lefs capacities, who are alike holy, know God and Chrift, and the things of the Spirit, in a more intuitive, experimental way; the Holy Spirit draws up their fpiritual faculties, and by giving them perfonal communion with the Father and the Son, they frequently enjoy more of divine love, speak more feelingly of the things of God, and their converfation hath often more of divine unction attending it, than fuch as have more enlarged natural

capacities. Believer, it may be thou art of a low ftature, and weak in divine knowledge; yet, if thou doft know thus much, that it is the will of God to fave finners by Jefus Chrift; and if thou haft been brought to know that it is God's will to fave thee (a finner in thy felf) in Chrift, Jefus, thou knoweft what is fufficient to make thee truly happy in life, perfectly comfortable in death, and what will fill thee with everlasting joy in heaven.

Those who believe in Chrift, through the Spirit, by the gospel, are fuch as it pleafeth God to fave from the guilt and darkness of their natural ftate. They will be found in Chrift for ever; and will one day join in finging with that innumerable company who are already got to glory, having wafhed their robes. and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, Jalvation to our God, which fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

What hath been delivered according to God's revealed truth, may the Spirit accompany with his energy and influences, fealing his truth on your hearts. Amen,

SERMON

XIX.

THE LORD THE INSTRUCTOR, TEACHER, AND GUIDE OF HIS PEOPLE.

PSALM XXXI. Ver. 8.

I will inftruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou halt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

T hath pleased God, the Holy Spirit, in and by

IT

the facred Scriptures, to inform us of, and to fet before us, these three great and grand particulars, the knowledge of which hath a great influence in the real experience of all believers in Chrift Jefus. The firft is, the economical, fœdral, and mutual transactions and engagements of the coequal and coeternal perfons in the felf-exifting effence with each other, in that council and covenant which obtained and took place between them; in which they engaged before time began, on the behalf, and for the benefit of the elect human race. The second is, how the Holy and Eternal Three fland related toward, and are engaged by Covenant ftipulation, promife, and oath, to thofe heirs of promife. And the third is, in what way thofe bleffings, which flow from the Father's love, through the channel of the Son's mediation, are manifefted and