Luke xi.

13.

Q. How may we attain thefe ordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

A. By the Ufe of all those Means which God James i 5. hath established for this End and Purpose, which are therefore called the Means of Grace. As humble, hearty, and fervent Prayer, a frequent and devout Ufe of the Holy Sacrament, reading and hearing God's Holy Word; with the Ufe of all other likely Means to attain those Graces which we seek for at his Hands: And all this as obedient Members of the Catholic Church, to whom alone Chrift hath promised these Influences of his Spirit.

Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Festival?

A. To thank God for those miraculous Gifts he bestowed upon the Apostles, to fit them to convert the World, and for inspiring the facred Penmen of holy Writ; whereby he hath given fuch abundant Testimony of the Truth of our Religion, and fuch firm Grounds for our Faith. To live according to the holy Precepts of that Gospel which hath received fo convincing a Teftimony. Earneftly to beg of God the Gift of his Holy Spirit, which is fo neceffary to enable us to run the Ways of his Commandments, and which God is ready to grant to our hearty and fervent Prayers. To fupport ourfelves uuder all the Difficulties of our Christian Warfare, which arise either from our own Weaknefs, or the Power of our spiritual Enemies; by 1Johniv.4. confidering that he that is in us is greater than he that Phil. iv. is in the World; and that we may do all Things thro' Chrift that ftrengtheneth us. Good that is in us, as well as the Perfections and Abilities we enjoy, to the Holy Spirit, whose free Gift they are, and to employ them to the Benefit and Advantage of our Neighbours, they being, therefore, given that we might profit with them.

13.

To attribute all the

Q. What

Q. What do you mean by the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit?

9.

A. The third Perfon in the most adorable Trinity, diftinct from the Father and the Son, and eternally procceding from both; being called the Spirit of Rom. viii. Chrift, and the Spirit of the Son, as well as of the 1Pet.i.11. Father, and of one divine Effence and Subftance with Galiv.6. them; effentially holy in refpect of his own divine Nature; for as the Son was fo begotten of the Father as to be oneGod with him, in like Manner the Holy Ghost fo proceedeth from the Father and the Son, that he is one and the fame God that they are.

Q. What is the peculiar Office of the Holy Spirit? A. To fantify and renew our corrupt Nature, and restore it to its primitive Perfection and Dignity. For fince without Holiness it is impoffible to please God, or attain that Happiness which confifts in the Enjoyment of him, and that the Frailty and Weakness, as well as the Corruption of our Nature is fo great, that we are not able of ourselves to accomplish this mighty Work, God hath been graciously pleased to grant us his Holy Spirit, to be the Author of all internal Holinefs, and the Pinciple of our spiritual Life; and consequently it is this bleffed Spirit that gives Clearnefs to our Faith, Zeal to our Charity, and Strength and Power to all our Graces.

Q. When may the Holy Spirit be faid to give Clearness to our Faith?

A. Not only when he reveals to us the Will of God, which he hath eternally propofed in the holy Scriptures; but when he internally illuminates our Minds, and inclines them to the Obedience of Faith, whereby we firmly affent to those Truths which unto a natural or carnal Man are Foolishness. When the Belief of the Principles of Religion is vigorous enough to govern our Practice and influence our Lives; when the Torments of the Damned, make us

Q 2

afraid

afraid to follow them in their Sins, which have brought upon them all those Miseries; when they put up upon ftriving against every Temptation to avoid the Danger; when the Glories of the Saints perfuade us to imitate their Lives which have raised them to that Happiness; when the Hope of feeing God purifieth us as he is pure, by feeking all Occafions of our Improvement, and by making it our Bufinefs to work out our Salvation.

Q. When may the Holy Spirit be faid to add Zeal to our Charity?

A. Not only when the Love of God fecures our own Duty, but when it makes us earnefily concerned that all the World fhould be influenced by the fame divine Flame, and that our Neighbour fhould become a fit Object of infinite Mercy. When we are fenfibly touched with the Blindness andObftinacy of wicked Chriftians; and endeavour, by the properest Methods, to cure their Ignorance, and to remove their great Indifference as to the Bufinefs of Religion. When we are careful to infinuate and establish the Maxims of Piety in our Families, and among our Friends and Relations. When our Difcourfe and Converfation is edifying, and tinctured with a Relifh of Religion. When we recommend it by our own Example, and by our Prayers for the Converfion of Sinners, and for the Perfeverance of the Righteous. When we conceal all Things that may offend the Weak, and publifh whatever may tend to increase the Love of Virtue. When we take all Occafions to praife thofe that live well, to bonour them before the World, and to give them the Preference in those Favours we are able to confer. When the Civilities and Liberalities we exercife, and the Friendships we contract, aim at the Converfion and Sanctification of Souls. When the Comfort and Relief we give to the Poor, the Sick, and the Afflicted, tends to make the Delign of God's Providence towards them

effectual,

effectual, for their Amendment if they are bad, or for their Improvement if they are good; that they may learn to adore the Author of their Afflictions, and wifely fix their Minds upon a Good that is ftable and permanent.

Q. When may the Holy Spirit be faid to give Power and Strength to our Graces?

A. Not only when the Empire of Reason is fecured against the Attacks of the Inferior Appetites, but 'when our evil Inclinations are in fome Meafure ftifled, and all carnal Affections die in us. When the Allurements of the World, and the Enjoyments of Senfe appear as trifling Entertainments, in Comparifon of the Pleafure and Happiness of ferving God and doing good. When the Difficulties and Dangers we meet with in the Road of our Duty are fo far from difcouraging us, that they raise our Spirits, and increase our Refolution, and ferve only to make the Pleafures of Virtue more perfect. When the bearing and forgiving Injuries, the mortifying our fenfual Appetites, and the Suffering for Righteoufnefs, which, to worldly Minds, carry fo terrible an Appearance, are embraced with Joy and Satisfaction, as the happy Opportunities of manifefting a fincere and ardent Affection to the bleffed Jefus. When we receive the Afflictions of Life not only with Patience and Submiffion, but with Thankfulness, from a Senfe of that Profit and Advantage they may bring to us. Thefe Effects

were vifible in the Conduct of the holy Apostles ; never did fo much Refolution get the better of fo much Weakness, fo great a Contempt of Danger and Death triumph over fo fhameful a Cowardice, and fo fincere and ardent a Defire of fuffering mafter a very careful Endeavour to avoid the Appearance of it.

For a Practice fuita

ble to the

Chriftian

The PRAYERS.

I.

OD, who as at this Time didft teach the Hearts

of thy faithful People, by the fending to them the Light of thy Holy Spirit; grant me by the fame Spirit to have a right Understanding in all Things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy Comfort, through the Merits of Chrift Jefus my Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the Unity ofthe fame Spirit, one God, World without End. Amen.

II.

Lmighty and merciful God, of whofe only Gift it cometh, that thy faithful People do unto thee true and laudable Service; grant, I beseech thee, that I may fo faithfully ferve thee in this Life, that I fail not finally to attain thy heavenly Promises, through the Merits of Jefus Chrift. Amen,

III.

Almighty God, who fheweft to them that be

in Error the Light of thy Truth, to the Intent Profeflion, they may return into the Way of Righteousness; grant unto all them that are admitted into the Fellowship of Cbrifi's Religion, that they may efchew thofe Things that are contrary to their Profeffion, and follow all fuch Things as are agreeable to the fame; through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

Dr. Hickes.
For the

Gifts of
God's

IV.

Lord, my God, who, by thy Son our Saviour Jefus Chrift, hath promifed thy Holy Spirit to thein who ask him of thee, I beseech thee to give Holy Spi- him to me in all the Graces and Affiftances of which I ftand in need. I ask him in all Humility and Earneftnefs, as the greatest Bleffing I can receive; I

rit.

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