will fpare them as a man fpareth his own fon that ferveth him." Alfo in the days of our Lord, we find, that those who embraced his pure and holy doctrine, became his conftant followers, and united themselves together in one body. But this was more espe cially the cafe, when life and immortality were fully brought to light by the gofpel. Then it was, that the whole multitude of them that believed were together, and were of one heart and of one foul; "and they continued ftedfaft in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

We learn the fame thing from the epiftles which the Apoftles wrote to the feveral churches. These were not wrote to all the inhabitants of thofe cities; but to the faints of God; to the holy focieties; which in each of thofe cities had embraced the gofpel of Christ, and bad happily found it to be the power of God unto falvation. Juft the fame thing appears from the Hiftory of the Church in all ages. For whenever it has pleafed God to revive his work in any particular age or nation, the people who have been the happy fubjects of it, have conftantly done the fame thing which the firit Chriftians did. Need we then to wonder that fince the bleffed God has been pleased to revive his work in our day, that the people who have embraced the gofpel, have done that which God has taught them in his own word to do, and which Chriftians in all ages and in all nations have always done? It would indeed have been ftrange if they had not done this, feeing that they would have acted as contrary to reafon itself, as to the word of God.

But then the defign of God in thus feparating us from the world, was, that we should faithfully and devoutly ferve him. So faith the Apostle, "Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your body and with your fpirit which are God's." Again: "The love of Chrift conftraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they who live, fhould not henceforth live unto themfelves, but unto him who died for them, and rofe again." In one word: "None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himfelf: For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: fo that living or dying we are the Lord's." But then in order to this, it is abfolutely neceffary that we should be fanctified according to the latter fenfe of the word. That we fhould be made holy, by the power of divine grace. And that this is the defign of God, is evident from his own word: "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and that he might purify unto himself а реси. liar people zealous of good works.' And again; "Not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his own mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghoft." Here we have God's method of falvation clearly laid down. He faveth us from the guilt of fin, by his own infinite mercy in Chrift Jefus. He faveth us from the

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power of fin by the fanctifying influences of his Holy Spirit. He raifes us up from the ruins of our fallen and loft eftate, and gracioufly brings us into the marvellous light and glorious liberty of the fons of God. Yes; that God, who in the beginning commanded light to fhine out of darkness, fhines into our hearts by the bright beams of his Spirit, and we are made children of light and of the day. He fprinkles our confciences with the precious blood of Chrift, and we then enjoy a fenfe of his favour, and experience the peace of God which paffeth all understanding. He alfo fheds abroad his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, and we are brought into a holy, fpiritual, heavenly ftate of mind. There is no point of doctrine more clearly revealed, or more ftrongly inforced upon us in the word of God than this is: And the reafon is very evident, as it is certain that if this truth is not fully believed, and really experienced, we can neither ferve God acceptably here nor enjoy him hereafter.

Suppofing any one should fay, "But does not the washing of regeneration fignify our being baptized with water?" If this were allowed, it would not follow, that to be renewed by the Holy Ghoft, fignifies, to be baptized alfo; fo that it still comes to the fame thing. And it follows, that a real change; yea, a thorough change, must be wrought in our minds, by the power of the divine Spirit. A change in all our tempers, defires, and affections: So that putting off the old man, with his deeds, we put on the new man, which after God is created in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness.

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It has been faid, that without this we cannot ferve God acceptably. And is it not fo? The Apoftle fays, "Be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promifes;" That is, be ye holy imitators of all the faints and fervants of God, who are gone before you to heaven. But can we be as holy in heart and as exemplary in all our conduct as they were, without experiencing the fanctifying grace of God as they did? We might juft as well think to fly up to heaven upon the wings of the wind. Again, "Be followers of me, faith the Apoftle, as I am of Chrift." But can we be as holy, Spiritual, and heavenly, in our temper, and as unblamable in our converfation as the Apoftle was, and yet not experience that grace which he did? We might as well think to touch the highest heavens with our right hand. Once more. "Be ye followers of God as dear children;" that is, Follow the example of Chrift himself. Be ye as ready to fulfil the whole will of God, as he was. Be ye as meek and lowly in heart, as patient and refigned on all occafions. In one word, be ye like the holy Jefus in the whole temper and difpofition of your mind, and in your whole conduct and behaviour. But can we do this without experiencing the grace of God in our hearts. Might we not just as foon create a new world? Nay, but can we follow this advice, except, as the Apostle speaks, we are wholly fanctified.

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If any one will fay, "We do confefs that this was the cafe in the apoftolic age, but all these extraordinary things are ceased long fince.' I beg leave to afk, Where is this written? In what part of God's word do we find any intimation of this kind? St. Paul fays, "If any man, or even an angel from heaven, preach any other gofpel, than that which I have preached, let him be accurf ed." Does it not then follow, that this fame gospel must be preached by all the minifters of Christ, to the end of the world; and woe to that man, who fhall prefume to preach any other. If the gofpel is the fame that it was from the beginning, then is not the fame all-fufficient Saviour held forth unto us? And is he not ftill able to fave to the uttermost all that come unto God by him? If the gospel is the fame, then the promises of the gospel are the fame; and must they not be fulfilled in our Souls ? If not, why are they made to us, and for what end are they to be explained? Of what ufe can these promises be, if we are not brought to enjoy the bleffings contained in them? Are we only to amuse and please ourselves with viewing them as they ftand in the Bible, as many fuppofe; or rather, are we not called to be living witneffes of the truth of them? Surely we are. If the gofpel is the fame, then the grace of God is as freely and fully offered unto us as it was to the first Chriftians, and we have good ground to expect to be made as holy in every refpect, and in every degree, as they were: And fo we affuredly muft, if we go to the fame heaven to which they are gone,

Is not all that we contend for fully and clearly expreffed in the daily fervice of the Church of England. "Let us befeech him (fays the Minifter) to grant us true Repentance, and his holy Spirit, that thofe things may please him which we do at this prefent; and that the reft of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, fo that at the last we may come to his eternal joy, through Jefus Christ our Lord." If there is any meaning in words, then we are here taught to pray, that God would not only give us true Re. pentance, but also his Holy Spirit, in order that those things may please him which we do at this present: That is to fay, That while we are now affembled together, we may worship him in the beauty of holiness: And that by the fanctifying influences of the fame Spirit, the rest of our life may be pure and holy; and that by the grace of the fame Spirit, we being made meet for heaven, may, in due time, enter into thofe peaceful regions of eternal joy, which our gracious Lord hath prepared for us. And is not the fame thing as fully expreffed in the clofe of the Church Service, in the very words of the Holy Ghoft himfelf? "The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghoft, be with you all." Surely then, if we believe the Bible and the Common Prayer-Book, we must believe the abfolute neceffity of being fanctified by the Holy Spirit. Yea, that we should be wholly fanctified. This was the very defign of Chrift's coming into the world: "He loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might fanctity and cleanfe it with

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the washing of water by the word, that he might prefent it to himself a glorious Church, not having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish." Á design this, worthy of an infinitely wife and gracious God.

HESE things had not happened many days, when reflecting feriously on what had befallen me, I perceived that a great and amazing change had been wrought in me; that my mind was illuminated by a light that I had never feen before, and that my wishes and defires were become new alfo. Taught therefore by undoubted experience, I hence concluded, that I had obtained by the incomprehenfible and effectual grace of God, that new birth, without which no man can fee or enter the kingdom of God; and of which, formerly, I had neither the defire nor even the thought. My ideas, now, of the infinite excellence and lovelinefs of God, were lively and perfpicuous. Such alfo were my apprehenfions of my duty toward him, of my own exceffive ingratitude and difobedience, and of God's powerful and unmerited grace by which he had quickened me! Fears of the divine wrath I had none; no dread of punishment. That I deferved it indeed, and was utterly unworthy of his favour, I faw plainly, notwithstanding which, I never for a moment fuppofed myself an object of divine wrath, or feared left I fhould fuffer the punishment that I had deserved. It was a fubject on which anxiety, fear, doubt, had no place in me. A lively perception of the divine glory and beauty, an unfpeakable fenfe of his gracious prefence, an experimental acquaintance with the light that belongs to an effectual love of him :--those things fecured me from all fuch terrors, and filled me with exceeding joy. In fuch a ftate of mind I could not doubt one moment concerning my admittance to the divine favour and communion, for I had fenfible experience of both; knowing myself, however, at the fame time unworthy of them, and unable to account for the grant of them to me, otherwife than in virtue of the Blood and Spirit of Christ alone, the Son of God, and only Saviour of finners.

About this time I enquired of my mother by letter, in what manner Mifs E. had died, refpecting a due concern for the welfare of her own foul. She returned me for answer, that she believed there was fome good thing found in her toward the Lord God of Ifrael. Immediately after the great change of heart that I had un 'ergone, the temerity and wanton boldnefs of my genius had fuffered a confiderable abatement. But certain it is, that I had VOL. XIX. May, 1796.

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as yet, no fpiritual knowledge of many truths the most important. The fupernatural illumination of the mind, regeneration, and the change confequent upon it,---thefe I knew by clear and sure experience; but my views of the Lord Jefus were ftill very obfcure. The knowledge which I had received of him from men and books availed me not. I had read much concerning him in the course of my ftudies, much also concerning his perfon, natures, characters, offices and benefits, I could have cited from fyftems of divinity. But of all this I had no spiritual knowledge, though it now behoved me much to acquire it. In the days that immediately followed my regeneration, I thought not much of Jefus, and if any ideas of him prefented themfelves to my foul, they were deeply tinctured with the opinions either of the Arians or Socinians: Juft notions of his divinity, of the fatisfaction made by him, and of the life of faith in him, I had none; but on thefe fubjects roved at random. What I ought to believe of him I knew not; and though he had purchased for me, and bestowed on me, the grace and favour of God, adverted feldom or never to my infinite obligation to him. The Saviour dwelt in me, as I may fay, unknown to me, and held my eyes that I might not know him yet, although I was made partaker of his life, and, as a member of his mystical body, derived from him as from the head of that body, however unconscious of it, all the illumination, comfort, or fpiritual strength that I enjoyed.

In the mean time my concern for the death of Mifs E. abated much, and the extreme grief that I had fuffered was almost entirely done away. My mind was now altogether engaged in other matters. Chearfully I both hoped and prayed in due time to fee what advantages had refulted to me from that lofs and how well and wifely the Lord had appointed me to fuffer it; and in a measure, as I confidered the importance of eternal things, the worth of the foul, and the happy change that I had experienced---I could, with my whole heart, give thanks to God for that very event, which only a few days before, had filled me with unfupportable anguish, and driven me aloft to the extremity of defperation.

Not many days after that remarkable change, I wrote to a friend of mine who had been a witness of my forrow and defpair, informing him of my extraordinary converfion; that I had begun to entertain far other thoughts of God and religion than formerly, that my grief occafioned by the death of Mifs E. was much moderated, and in fact had almost ceafed. In reality this fudden and effectual change was fuch, that from the moment when it befel me, I could never doubt for a fingle hour my vocation, at that time, from death to life, and from darkness into marvellous light. Thus did God in a wonderful manner bear my prayers for an alleviation of my affliction, and thus did he fulfil them by means of which I had no conception.

Permit me here to add two or three remarks on the fingular management of God's providence in this difpenfation.

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