of music, when they expected any extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit.* They seem to have intended hereby, the calming of their passions, and the introducing into their souls an heavenly peace and tranquillity, that the mild and gentle Spirit of the Holy One might delight to visit and dwell with them. And surely we are never better disposed for further visitations, discoveries, and operations from that same Spirit, for more intimate union with the Father and the Son through him, than when we are calm, settled, and peaceful. Then our souls wait for him as the thirsty land for the falling showers. Then," as the eyes of a maiden are unto the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes unto the Lord, till he have mercy upon us." Then the dew of heaven distils upon our branches, yea, he "sends a gracious rain upon his inheritance, and refreshes it when it is weary." Thus " in quietness and in rest are we saved." Let it be thy care, therefore, to resist every temptatation to inquietude, care, and anxiety. "What profit canst thou gain By self-consuming care? To him commend thy cause, his ear "Stand still, and see the salvation of God," and yet," agonize to enter in at the strait gate." Join the agony of desire to the peace of dependence, and the patience of hope. May God help thee to reconcile these, and all will be well: "The God of peace himself will sanctify thee wholly, and the whole of thee, the spirit, and soul, and body, will be preserved blameless to his heavenly kingdom. Faithful is he that calleth thee, who also will do it. "I rest upon thy word, The promise is for me; My succour and salvation, Lord, Shall surely come from thee: But let me still abide, Nor from my hope remove, Till thou my patient spirit guide Into thy perfect love." 13. I must not conclude this discourse without addressing a few words to those, who profess to have attained this sanctification.-1st. See that your profession be founded on truth. Take * 2 Kings iii. 15. care that you do not deceive yourself. Remember, if you are indeed sanctified in the sense that has been explained, you think less of yourself than ever you did in all your life. Your understanding is so enlightened in the knowledge of God and of yourself; you have such clear views of God's incomprehensible greatness, and your own exceeding littleness, of his infinite wisdom, and your extreme folly, of his almighty power, and your amazing weakness, of his unspotted purity, and your great defilement, of his inflexible justice, and your notorious guilt and desert of eternal misery ;and above all, you have such a discovery of the boundless mercy and love of God to lost sinners in general, and to yourself in particular, and of your utter unworthiness in all respects, and how far you come short of paying the debt of gratitude due to him for such goodness;—that you are ashamed, confounded, and as it were brought to nothing before his glorious Majesty, crying out from the bottom of your heart, "Who can stand before this holy Lord God?" As for me, "I am less than the least of all his mercies, less than the least of all saints," not worthy to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord!—And at the same time you have such an insight into the spirituality, extent, and obligation of the holy law of God, into the height and depth, length and breadth of the obedience it requires ; and together therewith, have such a sense of your past sins, and of your present failings, whereby you continually come short of the glory of God, that you never before relished so well, or found such sweetness in the confession of holy Job," behold, I am vile! What shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth."-Judge yourself, therefore, by this rule, and remember, if you indeed possess what you profess, you are "of a contrite and humble spirit," abhor yourself, and repent as in dust and ashes.” you even 14. Now that you may retain this spirit of humility, without which you cannot possibly retain that measure of sanctification you possess, much less obtain a still greater degree, and increase with all the increase of God;-settle these two things deeply in your heart, 1st. That what you are, you are by grace; and, 2dly, That you are not what you may, and, if you continue faithful, shall be.-Remember, 1st. That you are wholly indebted to the mere mercy of God, the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and the powerful influence of the Spirit of grace for all the good that is in you or about you. And remember, that the holiness which is wrought in you, is not lodged as a stock in your own hands, but you are dependent daily upon God for it. The same mercy which first bestowed it, bestows it afresh every moment; the same merit of Christ which first inter posed on your behalf, and purchased this blessing for you, interposes still; and the same Holy Spirit which first influenced your heart with the love of God, is still the one source of your wisdom and power, holiness and happiness.-If this were withdrawn, it might still be said, that "in you dwelleth no manner of thing that is good." 15. This is not all: It is not only necessary in order to your retaining an humble mind, that you should ascribe all the good that is in you to the grace of God alone, and no part of it to yourself: and that you should be sensible you are continually dependent upon God for it. But it is also needful, 2dly, that you should not overvalue the good that is in you, or think of your attainments, or of yourself on account of them, more highly than you ought to think. That you may not fall into this very life and soul of spiritual pride, which would undoubtedly grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and be as a worm at the root of your graces, settle it in your heart that you still come very short of your duty, and are deficient both in the inward exercise of love, and the outward acts of virtue. Place before your eyes the moral law as it is explained by Moses and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles. Remember, it is of indispensable obligation, and can no more be abrogated, than God can be unholy. Remember too, that it requires you not only to love God with all your heart, but also to serve him with all your strength, or to the uttermost of your power, and to love your neighbour as yourself, doing him all the good you can in soul and body, from day to day. In other words, the law of God requires you to employ all your powers and faculties, of whatever kind, at all times and in all places, as far as possible to the glory of God, and for the good of mankind. Now this you dare not say you have yet done for one single day in all your life; you dare not affirm, you have for one day loved and served either God or your neighbour as much as you might have done. You have therefore still need to pray," Father, forgive us our trespasses," and to acknowledge it is of the Lord's mercies even you are not consumed. 16. It follows from hence, 3dly, that you have still room for growing in grace, and in a conformity to the Lord Jesus. This indeed you will readily allow; but you must allow more. You must allow not only that you may, but that you must go forward towards higher attainments in the divine life, if you would not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and lose what you have already gained. God, you must remember," hath predestinated you to be conformed to the image of his Son ;" to have that whole mind in you which was in Christ Jesus, and to walk as he walked ; to have, like him, the law of God fully exemplified in your life; to be living images of him, as he is of the Father. This is the mark God hath set you, and if you would not deceive yourself, and sink into sloth and indolence, you must not set yourself a lower mark. You must not cease to desire and pray, strive and labour, watch, deny yourself, and take up your cross, till you have in you the humility, meekness, and resignation; the faith, hope, and charity; the zeal for God's glory, and the salvation of sinners; the bowels of mercy, tenderness, and compassion; the love to God and mankind, with the proper fruits flowing therefrom, which dwelt in the Son of God. In a word, till, as the Apostle says, you are even "filled with all the fulness of God." 17. Remembering you have dedicated all the faculties of your soul and members of your body, with all you have and are, to God, to be at his disposal, you must study to employ them from day to day according to his will, and for the promotion of his honour and glory. Your understanding, conscience, and memory, your will and affections, your passions and appetites, your senses and members, your time and talents, your spirit, soul, and body, with all that belongs to you, must be holiness to the Lord, set apart for God, and used as he directs. This is what the moral law requires, and what the example of Christ holds out to your view; and this you must never cease aiming at and striving after. "Not as though you had already attained this, either were already perfected; but you must follow after, if by any means you may apprehend that for which you are apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, you must not count yourselves to have apprehended" all that God has to work in you, and perform by you: You live that you may still know more, receive more, do more, and suffer more: "But this one thing you must do, forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth to the things that are before; you must press towards the mark for the prize of your high calling of God in Christ Jesus," that at last you may "stand complete in the whole will of God, and be as Christ was in this world." I "Let as many of you as are perfect be thus minded; and if any of you be otherwise minded, God," if you are sincere and watchful," will reveal this unto you," and show you your mistake. say, Once more. Having guarded you against pride and sloth, let me also guard you against carnal security. Remember, you have a threefold enemy yet to encounter, not only the devil and the world, but also the flesh. Though your old man is crucified with 66 Christ," and you are even "dead to sin, and alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord;" yet remember, you have still an animal nature about you, the seat of various senses, appetites, and passions, and that this will infallibly lead you astray and betray you into sin, if not watched over, and kept under continual restraint. You have, therefore, still daily need to "deny yourself, to keep the body under and bring it into subjection, lest" after all these attainments, you should become a cast-away." And take care you do not rest in, or place any dependence upon any thing done for you at any particular time or place: but remembering you are every moment pleasing or displeasing to God, according to the whole of your inward tempers and outward behaviour," giving daily proof, as of your justification, so also of your sanctification, by your unblameable and edifying conduct and conversation. And how much soever you testify in words concerning the great things the Lord hath done for you, testify still more in deeds, persuaded that example speaks louder than any thing, and will be believed sooner than any other testimony you can bear. Thus be ye the "salt of the earth, and the light of the world." Yea, "let your light shine before men, that they seeing your good works, may glorify your Father, who is in heaven." Now, "may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.” ΑΜΕΝ. |