"bath fent me DRAW him." (John vị. 44.) But that no man may think himfelf excluded from that neceffary-DRAW¬ ING of the FATHER, the Holy Scriptures give us the most ample affurances of the FATHER'S WILL to fave ALL

MANKIND, "WILLING that any should perish, but "that ALL fhould come to repentance." (2 Pet. iii. 9) and that he "WILL have "ALL MEN to be faved, and to come · “unto the knowledge of the truth.” Tim. ii. 4.) If we fail, therefore, Not that

viz. that he is "NOT

the fault must be our own.

we are fufficient of ourselves to think as of our felves; but our fufficiency is of "God." (2 Cor. iii. 5.) And our LORD himself faid- Without me ye. "can do nothing." (John xv. 7.) But he hath alfo added for our comfort, fay

ing, If ye abide in me, and abide in you, ye fhall ASK

my words what ye

will, and it SHALL be done unto you." (John xv. 4. 7.)

Our Lord, in a previous discourse a little before, had made the fame abfolute promise to his disciples in favour of prayer.

Whatfoever ye shall afk in MY NAME" (faid our LORD JESUS) "that will I DO, "that THE FATHER may be glorified in

THE SON. If ye shall afk any thing in "MY name, I will do it. If ye love me,

keep MY commandments. And I will

pray THE FATHER, and HE fhall

give you ANOTHER COMFORTER, "that HE" (the Comforter)" may abide "with you for ever; (even) the SPIRIT OF TRUTH; whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not, nei"ther knoweth him; but

66

66

ye

know bim ;

for he dwelleth with you, and fhall be "IN you." (John xiv. 13 to 17.) Here an actual infpiration or in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit is declared to us, as alfo in feveral

I

feveral other fimilar difcourfes of our Lord, which are manifeftly the "

..

64

ex

an ha

ceeding great and precious promises" mentioned in the Second Epiftle of the Apostle Peter" that by thefe" (faid he) ye might be PARTAKERS of the DF"VINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through "luft." (2 Pet. i. 4.) For it is clearly revealed that we may become " "bitation of God through the Spirit!" (Ephef. ii. 22.) We are required to be "The temple of the living God," as God hath faid "I will dwell IN them, and "walk IN them, and I will be their "GOD, and they shall be my people.” (2 Cor. vi. 16.) "Know ye not" (laid

St. Paul)

..

"that

of the HOLY

you, which ye

your BODY is the temple GHOST, which is IN have of GOD, and ye are

"not your own?" (1 Cor. vi. 19.) and in another Epiftle he declared that "as many as are LED" (or actuated)" by

'" the

ડર

the SPIRIT OF GOD, they are THE SONS of God." (Rom. viii. 14.) and that, on the other hand, carelefs and unregenerate men, who neglect the commands of CHRIST, and refift the Holy Spirit, are actually LED or INSPIRED by an oppofite Spirit and his angels, viz. "The prince of the power of the air, the SPIRIT which now WORKETH IN the children of difobedience" (Ephef. ii. 2.) thus clearly revealing to us the horrible infpiration of evil fpirits actually

66

WORKING IN❞ the minds of careless and wicked men !

Wherefore, my beloved," be fober, "be vigilant; because your adverfary "THE DEVIL, as a roaring lion, walketh * about feeking whom he may devour." (1 Pet. v. 8.) "Whom" that we may duly refift, ftedfaft in the faith;' let us moft humbly" acknowledge our "fins before God," imploring his mercy

X

"

and

1

and forgiveness; as also the guidance and protection of his HOLY SPIRIT, through the mediation, and in the most propitious name of the Holy JESUS, our bleffed Lord and Redeemer.

For a variety of exhortations, let the Epistle and Gospel appointed for each day, be read as an instructive exordium; or any other parts of Scripture that the minifter may think moft edifying from time to time, or as occafion may require, provided he shall, previously with due confideration, fix upon them.

¶ General Confeffion, all kneeling.

(1ft.) Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like loft fheep.---We have followed too much the devices and defires of our own hearts.---We have offended against thy holy laws.---We have left undone thofe things which we ought to have done---and we have done those things which we ought not to have done--and there is no help in us.--