This was the finishing ftroke of the creation: the perfection both of the moral and material world. And fo near did man resemble his divine Original, that GOD could not but rejoice and take pleasure in his own likeness: And therefore we read, that when God had finifhed the inanimate and brutish part of the creation, he looked upon it, and beheld it was good but when that lovely, God-like creature man was made, be hold it was very good.

Happy, unfpeakably happy must man needs be, when thus a partaker of the divine nature. And thus might he have ftill continued, had he continued holy. But God placed him in a ftate of probation, with a free grant to eat of every tree in the garden of Eden, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil: the day he should eat thereof, he was furely to die; that is, not only to be subject to temporal, but spiritual death; and confequently, to lofe that divine image, that spiritual life GOD had not long fince breathed into him, and which was as much his happinefs as his glory.,

Thefe, one would imagine, were eafy conditions for a finite creature's happiness to depend on. But man, unhappy man, being feduced by the devil, and defiring, like him, to be equal with his Maker, did eat of the forbidden fruit; and thereby became liable to that curfe, which the eternal GOD, who cannot lie, had denounced against his difobedience.

Accordingly we read, that foon after Adam had fallen, he complained that he was naked; naked, not only as to his body, but naked and deftitute of thofe divine graces which before decked and beautified his foul. The unhappy mutiny and diforder which the vifible creation fell into, the briars and thorns which now fprung up and overfpread the earth, were but poor emblems, lifeiefs reprefentations of that confufion and rebellion, and thofe divers lufts and paffions which fprung up in, and quite overwhelmed the foul of man immediately after the fall. Alas! he was now no longer the image of the invifible GoD; but as he had imitated the devil's fin, he became as it were a partaker of the devil's nature, and from an union with, funk into a ftate of direct enmity against GOD.

Now in this dreadful difordered condition, are all of us brought into the world: for as the root is, fuch must the

branches be. Accordingly we are told, "That Adam begat a fon in his own likeness;" or, with the fame corrupt nature which he himself had, after he had eaten the forbidden fruit. And experience as well as fcripture proves, that we also are altogether born in fin and corruption; and therefore incapable, whilft in fuch a ftate, to hold communion with GOD. For as light cannot have communion with darkness, so God can have no communion with such polluted fons of Belial.

Here then appears the end and defign why CHRIST was manifeft in the flesh; to put an end to thefe diforders, and to restore us to that primitive dignity in which we were at first created. Accordingly he fhed his precious blood to fatisfy his Father's justice for our fins; and thereby alfo he procured for us the Holy Ghoft, who fhould once more re-inftamp the divine image upon our hearts, and make us capable of living with and enjoying the bleffed GoD.

This was the great end of our LORD's coming into the world; nay, this is the only end why the world itself is now kept in being. For as foon as a fufficient number are fanctified out of it, the heavens fhall be wrapped up like a fcroll, the elements fhall melt with fervent heat, the earth, and all that therein is, fhall be burnt up.

This fanctification of the Spirit, is that new birth mentioned by our bleffed LORD to Nicodemus, "without which we cannot fee the kingdom of GOD." This is what St. Paul calls being renewed in the spirit of our minds;" and it is the fpring of that holiness, without which no man shall fee the LORD.

Thus then, it is undeniably certain, we must receive the Holy Ghoft ere we can be ftiled true members of CHRIST's myftical body. I come in the

Second place to lay down fome fcriptural marks, whereby we may easily judge, whether we have thus received the Holy Ghoft or not. And the

First I fhall mention, is, our having received a spirit of prayer and fupplication; for that always accompanies the fpirit of grace. No fooner was Paul converted, but " behold he prayeth." And this was urged as an argument, to convince Ananias that he was converted. And God's elect are alfo faid to cry to him day and night."

"

And

And fince one great work of the Holy Spirit is to convince us of fin, and to fet us upon feeking pardon and renewing grace, through the all-fufficient merits of a crucified Redeemer, whofoever has felt the power of the world to come, awakening him from his fpiritual lethargy, cannot but be always crying out, "LORD, what wouldst thou have me to do?" Or, in the language of the importunate blind Bartimeus," JESUS, thou Son of David, have mercy upon me."

The bleffed JESUS, as he received the Holy Ghost without measure, fo he evidenced it by nothing more, than his frequent addresses at the throne of grace. Accordingly we read, that he was often alone on the mountain praying; that he rose a great while before day to pray nay, that he spent whole nights in prayer. And whofoever is made partaker of the fame Spirit with the holy JESUS, will be of the fame mind, and delight in nothing so much, as to "draw nigh unto GOD," and lift up holy hands and hearts in frequent and de

vout prayer.

. It must be confeffed, indeed, that this spirit of fupplication is often as it were fenfibly loft, and decays, for fome time, even in those who have actually received the Holy Ghost, Through fpiritual drynefs and barrenness of foul, they find in themselves a listlefness and backwardness to this duty of prayer; but then they efteem it as their crofs, and fill perfevere in feeking JESUS, though it be forrowing: and their hearts,, notwithstanding, are fixed upon GoD, though they cannot exert their affections fo strongly as usual, on account of that spiritual deadnefs, which GOD, for wife reafons, has fuffered to benumb their fouls.

But as for the formal believer, it is not fo with him: no; he either prays not at all, or if he does enter into his closet, it is with reluctance, out of custom, or to fatisfy the checks of his confcience. Whereas the true believer can no more live without prayer, than without food day by day. And he finds his foul as really and perceptibly fed by the one, as his body is nourished and fupported by the other. A

Second fcripture mark of our having received the Holy Ghost, is, Not committing fin.

"Whosoever is born of GOD, (fays St. John) finneth not, neither can he fin, becaufe his feed remaineth in him."

Neither can he fin. This expreffion does not imply the impoffibility of a chriftian's finning: for we are told, that "in many things we offend all :" It only means thus much; that a man who is really born again of GOD, doth not wilfully commit fin, much lefs live in the habitual practice of it. For how fhall he that is dead to fin, as every converted person is, live any longer therein ?

It is true, a man that is born again of GOD, may, through furprize, or the violence of a temptation, fall into an act of fin: witness the adultery of David, and Peter's denial of his Mafter. But then, like them, he quickly rifes again, goes out from the world, and weeps bitterly; wafhes the guilt of fin away by the tears of a fincere repentance, joined with faith in the blood of JESUS CHRIST; takes double heed to his ways for the future, and perfects holinefs in the fear of GOD.

The meaning of this expreffion of the Apostle, that “ a man who is born of GOD, cannot commit fin," has been * fitly illuftrated, by the example of a covetous worldling, to the general bent of whofe inclinations, liberality and profufenefs are directly oppofite: but if, upon fome unexpected, fudden occafion, he does play the prodigal, he immediately repents him of his fault, and returns with double care to his niggardlinefs again. And fo is every one that is born again: to commit fin, is as contrary to the habitual frame and tendency of his mind, as generofity is to the inclinations of a miser; but if at any time, he is drawn into fin, he immediately, with double zeal, returns to his duty, and brings forth fruits meet for repentance. Whereas, the unconverted finner is quite dead in trefpaffes and fins or if he does abftain from gross acts of it, through worldly felfifh motives, yet, there is fome right eye he will not pluck out; fome right-hand which he will not cut off; fome fpecious Agag that he will not facrifice for GOD; and thereby he is convinced that he is but a mere Saul: and confequently, whatever pretenfions he may make to the contrary, he has not yet received the Holy Ghoft. A

Third mark whereby we may know, whether or not we have received the Holy Ghoft, is, Our conqueft over the world.

* Law's Chriftian Perfection.

"For

For whofoever is born of GoD, (fays the Apoftle) overcometh the world." By the world, we are to understand, as St. John expreffes it, "all that is in the world, the luft of the eye, the luft of the Aefh, and the pride of life:" And by overcoming of it, is meant, our renouncing these, so as not to follow or be led by them: for whofoever is born from above, has his affections fet on things above: he feels a divine attraction in his foul, which forcibly draws his mind heavenwards; and as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, fo doth it make his foul to long after the enjoyment of his GOD.

Not that he is fo taken up with the affairs of another life, as to neglect the business of this: No; a truly fpiritual man dares not ftand any day idle; but then he takes care, though he laboureth for the meat which perifheth, first to secure that which endureth to everlasting life. Or, if GOD has exalted him above his brethren, yet, like Mofes, Jofeph, and Daniel, he, notwithstanding, looks upon himself as a ftranger and pilgrim upon earth having received a principle of new life, he walks by faith and not by fight; and his hopes being full of immortality, he can look on all things here below as vanity and vexation of spirit: In fhort, though he is in, yet he is not of the world; and as he was made for the enjoyment of GOD, fo nothing but GOD can fatisfy his foul.

The ever-bleffed JESUS was a perfect inftance of overcoming the world. For though he went about continually doing good, and always lived as in a press and throng; yet, wherever he was, his converfation tended heavenwards. In like manner, he that is joined to the LORD in one fpirit, will fo order his thoughts, words, and actions, that he will evidence to all, that his converfation is in heaven.

On the contrary, an unconverted man being of the earth, is earthy; and having no fpiritual eye to difcern fpiritual things, he is always feeking for happiness in this life, where it never was, will, or can be found. Being not born again from above, he is bowed down by a fpirit of natural infirmity: the ferpent's curfe becomes his choice, and he eats of the dust of the earth all the days Pois life. A

Fourth scripture mark of our having received the Holy Ghoft, is, Our loving one another.