g 1 SERMONS upon Serin.36. caft out Devils, to confer extraordinary Gifts, to filence Satan's Oracles, and to de- (troy the Kingdom and Power of the Devil, and to eftablifh a fure Way of the Pardon ofSins, and bring Life and Immortality to light, preaching that Truth which fbould eftabli(h found Holinefs, and helping to reftore humane Nature to its Reetitude and In. tegrity. And by this means he fhould convince the World of Sin, of RighteouCnefs, and of Judgment. 5. Confider the Effects, fuitable bpth to his Promife and Prayer. The Acts of the Apoftles are a Comment on this. Many of the Ele t were converted. At the firft Ser- mon after the pouring out of the Spirit, all that heard the Apofiles difcourfing, that Jefus was appointed to be Lord and Chri, were pricked in their Hearts, and convinced, Alls 2. 37, 38. This was not Converfion, for they cried out, What jhall we do ? And Peter faid, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of fetus Chrif}, for the Remifion of Sins, and ye fball receive the Gift of the Holy Ghofl. Three thoufand were converted by this Sermon, and five thoufand at another time, Acts 4. 4. when they preached boldly in the Name of Jefus; yet others were only convinced, pricked in Heart, rho they had not yet attained to Evangelical Repentance. Some that remained in the Gall of Bitternefs, and Bend of Iniquity 5 yet they admired the Things the Apo- files did, and defired to Ihare with them in their great Privileges. Aûs 8. 18, 19. When Simon Jaw, that through laying on of the Apoftles Hands, the Holy Gloft was given, he ofered themMany, flying, Give me alfo this Power, that on whomfoever I lay Hands, he may receive the Holy Ghoft. Yea, and Come that were upon the Benches and Thrones, and fat as Judges, were almoft perfwaded to be Chriflians by a Prifoner in a Chain. As Fe- lix, Acts 24.25. As Paul reafoned of Righteoufnefs, and Temperance, and yudgment to come, Felix trembled. And Agrippa, Alts 26.28. Almofi thou perfwadeft me to be a Chri- flian. Some were forced to magnify them, who had not an Heart to join with them. A &s 5.13. And of the ref! durfi no Man join himfelf to them, but the People magni- fied them. Some would have worfhipped them, who were yet Pagans : As 14. 1 r. And when the People Jaw what Paul had done, they faid, The Gods are come down to us in the likenefi of Men. Some were aftonifhed at what was done by the Apoflles. Alls 8. 13. Then Simon himfelf believed alfa 5 and when he was baptized, he conti- nued with, Philip, and wandered, beholding the Signs and Miracle, which were done. Some marvelled at their boldnefs : Ads 4. 13. Now when they faw the boldnefi of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant ,.Wen, they marvel- led, and they took, knowledg of them, that they bad been with 'Oils. What ! is this cow- ardly Peter, that was foiled with the weak blaft of a Damfel? Nay, their bittereft Enemies were nonpluft in their Refolutions, when they had to do with them, and were afraid to meddle with them. Alls 4. 16. What fuell we da to theft Men ? for that indeeda notable abrade bath been done by them, is manifeft to all them that dwell in Jeru- falem, and we cannot deny it. So far the Bridle of Convillion was upon the Repro- bate World. SERM.
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