Heaven Collection BV4831 .B4 1765

462 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS to others ; and the most think that it is another kind of matter than indeed it is. To be baptized, and come to church, and to say some cold and heartless prayers, and to forbear some gross disgraceful sins, is all the sanctification that most are acquainted with ; (and all have not this.) And thus they debase the work of the Holy Ghost. If a prince have built a sumptuous palace, and you will show men a swine-sty and say, There is the palace that the prince hath been so long a building ; were not this to abuse him by contempt ? Remember what it is to believe in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost : and remember that you were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And do you not yet know why ? nor know the meaning of your baptismal covenant ? It is not only to believe that there are three persons in the Trinity, but to consent to the relations and duty to them, in respect to their several relations and work. If the Father had not created you, how could you have been men ? The Lord of nature must be ac- knowledged as the end and governor of nature, and accordingly obeyed. And this is to believe, and be baptized in the name of God the Father. if the Son had not redeemed you, you had been as the devils were, forsaken and given over to despair. The pur- chaser, procurer, and author of grace, of pardon, and salvation, must be acknowledged to be such, him- self and his salvation accordingly accepted, and his terms submitted to. And this is to believe in the name of the Son ; and in baptism we make profession hereof. And certainly the work of the Holy Ghost is as necessary to your salvation. Without the sanctify- ing work of the Spirit, you could never be delivered from sin and Satan, nor restored to God's image, and consequently could never be the members of Christ, nor have any saving benefit by his sufferings. Would you not think hirn unworthy to live, that would reproach the Father's work of nature, and say, that the whole creation is but some poor contemptible work ? And would you not think him unworthy the name of a Christian, that had contemptible thoughts of the

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