vince men of the necessity of grace, to compare what they must acknowledge they ought to be with what they are to compare that cold, jejune, lifeless frame, with which generally men think of the most excellent, and most important objects, with that vivacity of soul, that ardour of love, vehemence of desire, and these transports of joy, with which it is reasonable such meditations should be accompanied.

On the other hand experience shews, that these persons who have been reformed from a life of scandalous immorality, or of stupid carelessness about eternity, to a life of strict integrity and serious devotion, are persons, whose constant practice it has been, since that happy change, to apply by prayer for divine grace: this may be said to be evident from experience, if mutual faith and trust be allowed among men, and the testimony of multitudes of the best in the world be reckoned an argument of any weight. Never any yet refuted them by contrary experiences: A devout man, praying only for happiness, without praying for holiness, is a character yet unheard of.

There have been many persons, who while they neglected the doctrine of grace, have spoke and wrote excellent things about virtue. There are such pretended reformers of mankind, perhaps, in all ages.The virtues they recommend, are, many of them at least, the same with the duties the gospel enjoins : So that these persons extol God's precepts, without acknowledging his grace, as if they could attain to his image, without his assistance. And indeed many of them speak a thousand excellent things. But speaking and practising are two different things. Their practice is the reverse of their own precepts. Their con duct shews that their morality consists chiefly in fruitless speculations, and that their schemes are contrived and made use of for amusement, more than any thing else.

They may have the same effect with many other arts and sciences, to gratify mens' curiosity, and perhaps their vanity. But the art of making men truly virtuous and happy by their own skill and strength, is not

yet invented. The result of all efforts that way, is exposing the weakness and vanity of the undertakers, and the confirmation of the truth of the gospel, and the necessity of the grace offered in it. The more we consider the success of such reformers, the more we may be convinced that their systems are fitter for tick. ling the ear, than mending the heart. Human corruption proves always too hard for human eloquence : it is ever found to have strong enough footing in the heart, to stand it out against all the golden sayings of the tongue. No doubt it is good to use all kind of helps against corruption, and to neglect no assistance against so dangerous an enemy. But to think these natural helps sufficient, without the assistance of grace, to pretend to bear down sin and vice, merely by eloquence and philosophy, to jest it away merely by witty satire and lampoon, to convert men by elegant phrases and delicate turns of the thought, is such a chimerical project, and which has so constantly failed in the experiment, that it is a wonder any body should seriously think it practicable. History sheweth the weak and contemptible efficacy, of the sublimest philosophy of the Heathens, when it encountered with inveterate corruptions, or violent temptations; how many of them that spake of virtue like angels, yet lived in a manner like brutes. Whereas, in all ages, poor Christian plebeians, unpolished by learning, but earnest in prayer, and depending upon grace, have, in comparison of these others, lived rather like angels than men ; and shown such an invincible steadfastness in the practice of virtue, as shameth all the philosophy in the world. Many of these ancient philosophers, who reasoned admirably in favour of virtue, and particularly of truth, honesty, and sincerity, are believed to have maintained one eternal Deity in private, and yet most disingenuously complied with the abominable idolatry of the multitude in public: while those who depended on the grace of Jesus Christ, shewed an integrity in their zeal for the one true God, which death and tortures could not overcome; they forced their way through all the cruelties that malice could inflict, till they spread

the knowledge of the true God, and his laws, through the known world: whereas, for all the speculations of the philosophers, the world might have been lying as it was, to this day.

V. Having insisted so much on the doctrine of divine grace in general, it is not requisite to insist long on the way the gospel teacheth it is communicated to us, and should be sought after by us, that is, out of the fulness that is in the Son of God, by the application of his Spirit. This paper is not designed for considering objections against the Trinity, but against the doctrine of the gospel, about the way to pardon of sin, and grace to perform duty. In the mean time, supposing the doctrine of the blessed Trinity, there are several considerations, that might be of use to them, who wonder why it should not be sufficient in general to seek grace from God, without asking his Spirit, out of the fulness that is in the Mediator.

And here it may be useful to consider first, the beautiful harmony that may be found, between the several parts of the doctrine of the scriptures, about these adorable divine persons. If they are represented cooperating in the work of redemption, they are represented so likewise, in the other divine works of creation and providence; and as there are different operations more immediately ascribed to each of them, so what is ascribed to the Spirit, in the work of our salvation, has a beautiful resemblance to the part attributed to him, in the other divine works. In effect, it is very observable, that the Holy Ghost is represented as more immediately concerned, in completing the divine works. It seems to be his particular office, to stamp the lovely image of the Creator on the creatures, according to their several capacities, whether visible or invisible, adorning the former with all that beauty, light, order and perfection they are capable of; and adorning the latter, with the beauty of holiness, producing that light, order, and regular disposition, in which the perfection of created spirits consisteth. His operation, on visible as well as invisible creatures, is (according to a way of speaking of some of the an

cients) a work of sanctification. At the beginning of the Bible we are told, after the mass of the world was produced, the earth was void, and without form, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the first account we have of bringing all things to order, is the Spirit's moving on the face of the deep. His operations to this day, are a continuation of his ancient work, a bringing light out of darkness, and order out of confusion; bringing the new creation, as he did the old, to order and perfection gradually, through several days' works, till at last, all terminate in an everlasting sabbath. In Psalm civ. it is said, that God sends forth his Spirit, to restore the decayed face of nature, and to revive it with fresh lustre and beauty, which is a very proper work for him who is the Comforter: he is represented also, as the immediate cause of all spiritual impressions, ordinary and extraordinary, of prophetical inspiration, gifts of miracles, and languages, as well as the ordinary graces, necessary to all sorts of persons. It is observable, that though the Son of God, while on earth, gave many excellent instructions to his disciples himself, their gifts and graces were never completed, till he sent them his Spirit, as he promised. His name, the Holy Spirit, and other names given him, have a manifest suitableness to his office; and the several parts of the doctrine of the scriptures concerning him, both in the Old Testament, and the New, have such an uniformity and harmony in them, as well deserveth our special observation ; and, if duly considered, helps to illustrate the subject in hand.

Since it is so, that it is by the Holy Ghost always, that God sanctifieth his creatures; surely nothing is more just than a devout acknowledgment of this in divine worship, in prayers, and praises for grace, by asking of God his spirit, and blessing him for such an inestimable gift. It is a most reasonable acknowledgment, because it is an acknowledgment of the truth, of a very important truth. It is a part of devotion and godliness, because he is not à creature, (as appears plainly from scripture,) but a person in the Godhead.

And in effect, (not to insist on all the proofs of his di vinity) one would think it were easy to see, that the omnipresence, and vast sufficiency of power, necessarily supposed in the Spirit's operations, are absolutely incompatible with the finite nature of a creature: considering that the highest creature, must be at an infinite distance below the Creator; and withal, that the efficacy of grace in the soul, (which is of a far more noble nature than the visible world) is one of the most glorious operations, in which Omnipotence exerteth itself.

It is observable, that God in all his works, taketh pleasure to use a subordination of various means and instruments, though he could produce them immediately by himself, without such means; yet God does not make it a part of worship and devotion, to ac knowledge the efficacy of created instruments, (such as, for instance, the ministry of angels) but only the efficacy of the Holy Ghost sent by himself and his Son: and this is made so requisite, that in the solemn Rite, by which members are received into the church, they must be baptized in his name; which surely, if considered aright, sheweth of how great importance it is in worship and devotion, and what strong ties baptized persons are under, to acknowledge carefully the efficacy of the adorable Spirit, in the work of their salvation.

VI. They that object against the necessity of apply. ing for grace in such a manner, as explicitly to acknowledge the efficacy of the Holy Ghost, will proba· bly be much more against the other thing mentioned before; that is, that we should seek the grace of the Spirit, out of the fulness that is in the Redeemer.— They will look upon this as a strange multiplying of our views in devotion, without any necessity, or use.

But upon a little consideration, supposing once the doctrine of the Trinity, (which it is better not to enter upon here, than to treat it superficially) and supposing the doctrine of Christ's sacrifice and merits, which was vindicated before, it is easy to shew that the doctrine, just now mentioned, is the most reasonable in the world.