THC nxALTATtÓN or crintsi. are made manifest, andfalling down on his face he will wórship God, and will report that God is in you of a truth; 1 Cor. xiv, 24, 25. And indeed without these demonstrations of the Spirit attending the gospel in the first publication óf it, it was not to be supposed, that so new and strange a religion should make its way like lightning through the nations, in opposition to the pre- judices of mankind and the powerof princes, and in a few years illuminate so manydark countries, which had lain for long ages under the shadow of death. When Christianity was well es- tablished in the world, these extraordinary gifts died away by degrees. As for the graces of the Spirit, the design Of them was dit rectly to changesinners into saints, and to raise a churchfor Christ among men. These werecommunicated sometimes in an extra ordinary manner and degree in the primitive days, in order to give the gospel a more speedy success, after the exaltation of our blessed Lord : But these are continued also in following ages, and sent down among men daily, by our blessed Saviour in his glorified state, who is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, that he may maintain an everlasting kingdom on earth, through all ages, by bestowing repentance on men, and forgiveness of sins ; Acts v. 31. It is by these influences new converts are made, sinners are called and sanctified, churches are raised or continued in a long succession, and the family of Christ restored, when it is diminished by the persecution of tyrants on earth, or by calling away the saints to heaven by death in the sourse of nature. Thus I have given you a very brief account of the influ- ences of the blessed Spirit, both withregard to gifts and graces' which wore promised by the Father, and shed forthby our exalt- ed Saviour, together with the most eminent and important uses and designsof them. Permit menow to conclude with these four Remarks: Remark. I. Since the gifts of the Spirit are shed forth in a way of promise and prediction, they more plainly appear to be divine. It is the promised Spirit, which our Saviour gave to men. It cart never be said they were casual events, or they hap- pened by chance, for they were foretold by the ancient pyophets, byJohn the baptist, and by our blessedSaviour : Theywere pro- mised to ChristJesus by his Father, andhe promised them tohis own disciples, and bid them wait at Jerusalem till they received them. Luke xxiv. 49. There is a long shining track of 'divine promise and faithfulness, and a blessed harmony of grace and truth, that runs through all this event of thepouring down of the ItalySpirit, and wemay trace it through the writings of the pro- photsand apostles with sacred delight. Is the Spirit sent down
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