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immoveable Greatnefs, which makes them Proof againft Adverfity, and fear nothing but doing an ill Action. So that, as the Apoftle peaks, they are in all things more than Conquerors, being ftrengthen'd with Might by his Spirit in the inner Man. This Affiftance is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Council and Might,the Spirit of Ifa. xi. Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. To teach us, that it reaches to all Cafes, and provides for all Exigencies. In short, all spiritual Bleffings which we pray for, come from this Fountain; the very Notion of Prayer fuppofes thus much. For, if we could fupply our felves, our Prayers to God were needlefs and unaccountable. And is it not a great Happiness to have fuch a Protection? What higher Encouragement can we defire, than to be under the Conduct of fo gracious, fo mighty a Spirit? What can be a stronger Incitement to our Duty than the Senfe of fuch an Affiftant, who has undertaken to fupport our Weakness, to improve our Reason, and perfect our Nature in every thing honourable and virtuous. There's nothing that's truly worthy and great in the Mind of Man, but lies within our Reach:

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Reach: And thus we may be undisturbed and happy as often as we pleafe. For, now the Wisdom and Power of an infinite Being are engaged for us, and are in a manner our own: For, that Power and of for asking,

Affiftance which we are fut Power and

c Luk. xi.

13.

may, if we please, be as beneficial to us, as if it were derived from our felves. Now, God, we know, has promised his Holy Spirit to thofe that ask him. The Belief and Experience of this Affiftance drew that great Expreffion from St. Paul, That he had learned to be content in what foever State he was: And that he could do all things thro' Christ Philip. that ftrengthen'd him.

iv. 11, 13.

But then to make our felves capable of fo great a Bleffing, 'tis our Duty to be careful not to grieve this Holy Spirit, left we provoke him to depart from us, We must take up the Pfalmift's Refolution to walk with a perfect Heart, and to fet no wicked thing before our Eyese. Pfal.ci. We must endeavour to prepare our Minds for fo glorious an Inhabitant: We must cherish and improve all worthy and religious Thoughts; and yield our felves obedient to his holy Conduct. Which if we do, God has promis'd that his Grace Jball

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fhall be fufficient for us; that he will reward our pious Inclinations with greater Attainments of Virtue here, and of Glory hereafter. To which God of his infinite Mercy bring us, &c.

SERMON

SERMON XIL

ACTS XX. 35

It is more bleffed to give, than to

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receive.

HESE Words of our bleffed Saviour are not mention'd by any of the Evangelifts; the Gofpel of St. John, and proba bly that of St. Mark, being not written when St. Paul cited them. He muft therefore either receive them as an Oral Tradition from the Apoftles, or elfe from him who gave him the Inftructions of his Office, and communicated his Gofpel to

IZ.

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him, which he declares he did not receive from Men, but was taught it by the ReGal. i. velation of Jefus Chrift. But notwithstanding the firft Conveyers of this remarkable Sentence are uncertain, the Author is unquestionable; the Apostle plainly affirming, that it was spoken by our bleffed Saviour. The Words are to be expounded according to the Measures and Limitations of other proverbial and fententious Sayings in Scripture not as if they would hold in that full Latitude, which Grammar and the Sound of the Words will allow. The Meaning only is, that the Nature of Things and Perfons, of Caufes and Events, are usually fuch, that generally speaking it is more blessed, or happy to give, than to rẻceive: Generally speaking, I fay, upon a due Balance of Circumftances, and a Suppofal of right Qualifications: For otherwife, if he that gives, does it out of a Principle of Intereft or Vain-glory, to gain a Reputation, or ftrengthen a Faction; if he does it to encroach upon the Liberties of the Obliged, to upbraid him with his Neceffities, to betray him into any finful Compliance, and make him obnoxious to his Humour; where the Cafe ftands thus, a grateful and benevolent

Receiver

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