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SERMON I. Of the Sin against the Holy Ghoft. [ Preached on Whitfunday.]

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MATT. xii. 31, 32.

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of Sin and Blafphemy fhall be forgiven unto men; But the Blafphemy against the Holy Ghost fhall not be forgiven unto men: And whosoever Speaketh a Word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whofoever Speaketh against the Holy Ghoft, it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World, neither in the World to come. E are met together This day, S ER M. thankfully to commemorate the greatest and most important Gift, that was ever fent down from Heaven upon the

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Sons of Men; the Gift of the Holy Ghost

VOL. VI.

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SER M.at Pentecoft; that plentiful Effufion of the Holy Spirit, which was the Accomplishment both of the Predictions of all the Antient Prophets, and of all the later Promises made by our Saviour to his Difciples; that Gift of Tongues, which was fo peculiarly proper and neceffary a Means to the great End for which it was defigned, and the Effects whereof have been of fuch univerfal Extent over the Face of the whole Earth. The Gofpel of Chrift, was not, like the Religion of Moses, to be confined to One Nation or People; but to be preached, as the general Doctrine of Salvation, to All Mankind: And the Gift of Tongues, wherewith the first Preachers of it were indued, was equally both a necessary Means to enable them to preach to all Nations, and a frong Proof of the Truth of that Doctrine which they were fo miraculously inabled to spread. 'Twas a necessary Means, without which the Gofpel could by no labour whatfoever; no, not by the most indefatigable Industry, in compaffing Sea and Land to make a Profelyte; have in the Course of mdny Ages been propagated through fo many

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different and fo remote Countries, as SER M. by This means it was fpread in the space of not many years. And at the fame Time that it so fwiftly conveyed the Knowledge of the Gospel, 'twas likewise a strong Proof of the Truth of the Doctrine itself, both upon account of the Greatness of the Miracle in its own Nature, and the Clearness of the Evidence wherewith the Miracle was fet forth. The Greatness of the Miracle in its own Nature, confifted in This; that it was worked upon many Persons, at one and the fame Time; that it was a producing in them fuch an Effect, as was equivalent to the Refult of a long Habit; and that it was not a fhort and tranfitory Effect, but of a permanent Duration; and, in its whole Continuance, equally miraculous, as in the firft Operation. Upon the whole therefore, 'twas fuch a Miracle in all its Circumftances, as there had been no Example of any like it before; and probably referred to by our Saviour in that Promife; Job. xiv. 12; He that believeth on the work that I do, fhall he do alfo, and greater Works than these shall be do. The Clearness of the Evidence wherewith

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