the effectual operations of the Holy Ghost. Flesh and blood will not reveal to us, nor can any man, with clear confidence, say that Jesus is the Lord (the Messias, the infallible Prophet, the universal Lawgiver, the Son of the living God) but by the Holy Ghost. Every spirit which sincerely confesseth him to be the Christ, we may, with St. John, safely conclude to be of God; for of ourselves we are not sufficient, as the apostle says, λογιζεσθαι τι, to reason out or collect any of these things. We never, of our own accord, without Divine attraction, should come unto Christ; that is, should effectually consent unto and embrace his institution, consisting of such unplausible propositions and precepts. Hardly would his own disciples, who had so long enjoyed the light of his conversation and instruction, admitted it, if he had not granted them that Spirit of truth, whose work it was odnya, to lead them in this unknown and uncouth way; arayyɛλλɛv, to tell them again and again, that is, to instil and inculcate these crabbed truths upon them; voμμvnokɛiv, to admonish, excite, and urge them to the marking and minding them: hardly, I say, without the guidance of this Spirit, would our Lord's disciples have admitted divers evangelical truths, as our Lord himself told them. 'I have,' said he, 'many things beside to say to you, but ye cannot as yet bear them; but when he, the Spirit of truth shall come, he shall conduct you into all truth.'

"As for the mighty sages of the world, the learned scribes, the subtle disputers, the deep politicians, the wise men according to the flesh, the men of most refined judgment and improved reason in the world's eye, they were more ready to deride than

to regard, to impugn than to admit these doctrines; to the Greeks, who sought wisdom, the preaching of them seemed foolishness.

do

"It is true, some few sparks or flashes of this divine knowledge may possibly be driven out by rational consideration. Philosophy may yield some twilight glimmerings thereof. Common reason may dictate a faint consent unto, may produce a cold tendency after some of these things; but a clear perception, and a resolute persuasion of mind, that full assurance of faith and inflexible confession of hope ομολογια της ελπιος ακλίνης, which the apostle to the Hebrews speaks of, that full assurance of understanding, that abundant knowledge of the divine will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, with which St. Paul did pray that his Colossians might be replenished; these so perfect illustrations of the mind, so powerful convictions of the heart, argue immediate influences from the fountain of life and wisdom, the Divine Spirit. No external instruction could infuse, no interior discourse could excite them; could penetrate these opacities of ignorance, and dissipate these thick mists of prejudice, wherein nature and custom do involve us; could so thoroughly awaken the lethargic stupidity of our souls; could supple the refractory stiffness of our wills; could mollify the stony hardness of our hearts; could void our natural aversion to such such things, and quell that φρονημα σαρκος, that carnal mind, which St. Paul says, ' is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be ;' could depress those vwuara, those lofty towers of self-conceit, reared against the knowledge of God, and demolish those oxvpwμara, those bulwarks of self-will and perverse stomach op

posed against the impressions of divine faith, and captivate πav vonua, every conceit and device of ours to the obedience of Christ and his discipline. Well, therefore, did St. Paul pray in behalf of his Ephesians, that God would bestow on them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the acknowledgment of him, and that the eyes of their mind might be enlightened, so as to know the hope of their calling ;' that is, to understand and believe the doctrines of Christianity.

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"We proceed now to the peculiar offices, functions, and operations of the Holy Spirit; many such there are in an especial manner attributed or appropriated to him; which, as they respect God, seem reducible to two general ones: the declaration of God's mind, and the execution of his will; as they are referred to man, (for in regard to other beings, the Scripture doth not so much consider what he performs, it not concerning us to know it,) are especially the producing in us all actions requisite or conducible to our eternal happiness and salvation: to which may be added, the intercession between God and man, which jointly respecteth both.

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First, it is his especial work to disclose God's mind to us; whence he is styled the 'Spirit of truth, the Spirit of prophecy, the Spirit of revelation;' for that all supernatural light and wisdom have ever proceeded from him. He instructed all the prophets that have been since the world began, to know, he enabled them to speak, the mind of God concerning things present and future. Holy men (that have taught men their duty, and led them in the way to bliss) were but his instruments, 'speaking as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.'

"By his inspiration the Holy Scriptures (the most full and certain witness of God's mind, the law and testimony by which our life is to be directed and regulated) were conceived. He guided the apostles into all truth, and by them instructed the world in the knowledge of God's gracious intentions towards mankind, and in all the holy mysteries of the gospel: That which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit,' saith St. Paul. All the knowledge we can pretend to in these things doth proceed merely from his revelation, doth wholly rely upon his authority.

To him it especially belongs to execute the will of God, in matters transcending the ordinary power and course of nature. Whence he is called the 'power of the most High,' (that is, the substantial power and virtue of God,) the finger of God; (as by comparing the expression of St. Luke and St. Matthew may appear ;) and whatever eminent God hath designed, he is said to have performed by him; by him he framed the world, and (as Job speaketh) garnished the heavens.' By him he governeth the world, so that all extraordinary works of providence, (when God, beside the common law and usual course of nature, doth interpose to do any thing,) all miraculous performances are attributed to his energy. By him our Saviour, by him the apostles, by him the prophets are expressly said to perform their wonderful works; but especially by him God manages that great work, so earnestly designed by him, of our salvation; work

ing in us all good dispositions, capacifying us for salvation, directing and assisting us in all our actions tending thereto.

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Our

We naturally are void of those good dispositions in understanding, will, and affections which are needful to render us acceptable unto God, fit to serve and please him, capable of any favour from him, of any true happiness in ourselves. minds naturally are blind, ignorant, stupid, giddy, and prone to error, especially in things supernatural and spiritual, and abstracted from ordinary sense. Our wills are froward and stubborn, light and unstable, inclining to evil, and averse from what is truly good; our affections are very irregular, disorderly, and unsettled; to remove which bad dispositions, (inconsistent with God's friendship and favour, driving us into sin and misery,) and to beget those contrary to them, the knowledge and belief of divine truth, a love of goodness and delight therein; a well composed, orderly, and steady frame or spirit, God in mercy doth grant to us the virtue of his Holy Spirit; who first opening our hearts, so as to let in and apprehend the light of divine truth, then, by representation of proper arguments, persuading our reason to embrace it, begetteth divine knowledge, wisdom, and faith in our minds, which is the work of illumination and instruction, the first part of his office respecting our salvation.

"Then by continual impressions he bendeth our inclinations, and mollifieth our hearts, and tempereth our affections to a willing compliance with God's will, and a hearty complacence in that which is good and pleasing to God; so breeding all pious and virtuous inclinations in us, reverence

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