318 A CAVEAT AGAINST INFIDELITY. these two doctrines and blessings, viz: the proper atonement of Christ, and the promised assistances of the Spirit, among some of those who profess tobelieve the gospel, has been one. consider- able occasion of the growth of deismamong us. For when chris- tians themselves shall make these peculiar .privileges and chief. glories of our revealed religion needless, a sceptical person is ready to fancy, that the light of nature is sufficient to teach us all the rest, and then what need is there of revelation ? Remem- berthe sacred names into which you are baptized : Screly the great and blessed-offices of the Son and Spirit, are designed to run through our holy religion in the practical parts of it; to the end of the world. Ever follow this method of access to God the Father, by the mediation, death and intercession of his Son, and through the aids of the blessed Spirit. Let this form of re- ligion be wrought into the very temper, of your spirits, in an- habitual manner, till, you feel your .soul live by thefaith ofthe Sonof God, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, as you feel anti find the animal life of your body preserved by the constant re- peated 'appetites of hunger and thirst, and the satisfaction of themby proper meat and drink St. Paul was in no danger of departing from the doctrine of the gospel while he could speak from his own inwardexperience, and say, the life that I now live in theflesh, I live by the faithof the Son of God, who has loved me, and given himself for me; Gal. ii. 20. And this naturally leads me to the next advice. VIII.'" Though, you have attained never so clear an evi- dence of the truthof christianity by reason and argument, yet, never rest satisfied without thepower and pleasure of religion Wrought deep in your hearts." Never content yourselves with the mere outward forms of a christian, and 'a cold round of duties, according to the dictates of the gospel: Such a circle óf formal practices, even of the best religion, will be but a poor drudgery, and a heavy task, which you will be ready to re- linquish in a hour of temptation, if the power, the love, and delight of this religion be not rooted in your souls. This is what the apostle means ; Eph. iii; 13-19. when 'he entreats the Ephesians, not to faint at the' tribulations' which attend ihe gospel, and therefore he prays for them 'thus, viz. That God would grant according to the riches of his glory,- -that ye be straightened with might by the Spirit in the inner ratan, that Christ may dwell in your hearts byfaith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth know- ledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. When`you find your faith in Christ, as you high-priest, giving a glerious relief to your soul, under a sense of guilt, and imper-
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