his own thoughts, is not a quality, but something really distinct from his thoughts; so this Spirit, which knows the thoughts of God, and even searches the deep things of God, must be a person distinct from the Father, who is thus known by him. Besides, all personal actions are ascribed to the Spirit: "He shall not speak of himself; but what he has heard, that shall he speak." He convinces the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. And when Peter was still doubtful of the import of the heavenly vision, "The Spirit said unto him, behold three men seek thee." All these expressions are without a meaning, if they do not clearly mark the personality of the Holy Ghost.

From this summary view it appears, that the Holy Ghost possesses the essential attributes of God, that he does works proper to God, and receives the honor due unto God only. To this scripture proof there is no reply, but such as infidelity is never at a loss to make against the plainest truths. These scripture proofs, which have been often urged at large with great strength and clearness, are a suffisient warrant for our faith in this important article of the Christian creed. As to those who will contradict and blaspheme on account of insuperable difficulties which occur in this subject, the moment we presume to step beyond what is written, it must be observed that all the peculiar doctrines of revelation, no less than this, become to such, first matter. of dispute, and then are rejected, because they seem igrational, till at length God's blessed system of truth, which none of the wise men of this world knew, is reduced to little more than some moral maxims, and the revelation of a resurrection of the just and unjust. Whether this be to receive and rationally interpret the book of God with all reverence, or to renounce all subjection to its authority, and sit in judgment upon his dictates, judge ye!

SUNDAY XXI.

CHAP. XXI.

On the Operations of the Holy Ghost.

AFTER our judgment is fully informed and convinced of the divinity of the Holy Ghost, we must know for what great purposes that infinite, almighty, eternal Spirit, exercises his office in the church of Christ, and what are his influences; for till these things are clearly understood, we can never ascribe to him the glory of his own work, nor be secure from dangerous delusions. But the scripture is not more full in declaring the divinity of the Holy Ghost, than in determining the nature and invariable effects of his operation.

To him, we are taught by holy writ, is intrusted the management of Christ's cause against a rebel world. By his secret, yet mighty energy, the foun-: dation of the Christian religion is laid in the soul;. by him it is maintained, and at length produces much fruit to perfection. The foundation of the Christian religion, as the words import, is the knowledge of Christ; without which, though you may do many things which are commanded, and be in profession a Christian, you still want the foundation of acceptable worship, according to that assertion, "If any man serve me, him will my Father honor," John xii. i. he will honor no one else.

But if you consider the scripture account of the condition the world was in, when the name of Christ was first preached, or the natural blindness of the human mind to the truths of God in all ages, you will readily acknowledge, that wherever the glory of

the Lord is perceived, it must be owing to the teaching of the Holy Ghost. Few possibly doubt of this, at the time when Christ was first preached. For then to conceive justly of him, was directly contrary to the whole force of inveterate prejudice, corrupt education, and worldly interest. Suppose yourself an inhabitant either of Jerusalem, or Rome, at the time when the gospel was published in those cities. Pharisaism and Sadducism reigned throughout Jerusalem and Judea; and the impurest idolatry, with the most enormous sensuality of every kind, triumphed amongst the heathens. In this situation, suppose you had heard an apostle, in the name of God, command you to confess your sinfulness, and, as a wretch for ever undone (but for this refuge from deserved wrath) to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; that this apostle, instead of concealing the meanness and weakness in which Jesus Christ lived, the shame and torture in which he died, told you, that on his cross he made atonement for sin, purchased sinners with the price of his blood, that they might live in subjection to him as their Sovereign; that he possessed power irresistible, to save, reward, and eternally enrich his friends, or to confound, conquer, and punish his adversaries: suppose the apostle to conclude this address with a most solemn assertion, that if you refused the call now given to you, and died without pardon from Christ, you must feel the wrath to come: Instantly upon such an address, in the circumstances above described, your heart tells you, you would reject the messenger and his call with equal disdain and hatred. For the life of Jesus, infamous through innumerable slanders of the vilest sort, and his death ignominious in your apprehension to the last degree, must make you treat the report of salvation by him alone, as the most palpable lie ever forged to deceive.

W

Accustomed from a child either to worship false gods, or the true one, without any affiance in a Mediator, a sacred horror must chill your blood, upon hearing your idols degraded, and the worship of them declared worthy of damnation. Or if a Jew, you would be ready to rend your garments on hearing Jesus, who was a man, declared to be one with God; whilst every passion for sinful pleasure, love of praise, fear of reproach, or desire of happiness in the world, must inflame your rage against a religion, which was such an enemy to them all. What, is the light of reason to pierce through such a cloud of error and prejudice? What, the force of moral suasion, or the resolution of man to make at once a sacrifice of friends, relations, reputation, and even be deemed by those, to whom you was before most dear, a curse to your country *? Yet nothing less was a certain consequence before the eyes of all, who dared to join themselves to the Lord Jesus; that Jesus, who, from the odium cast upon his name by the Jews in every place, is marked as the man "whom the nation abhorreth."

To vanquish such deep-rooted prejudice and enmity against the Redeemer, the gospel is to be preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Thus furnished, the apostles were to be witnesses for Jesus, and the redemption he finished, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. This almighty Agent, by his miraculous gifts in rich variety imparted to them, bore down the prejudices of education, the

* The unlearned reader is to be informed, that the first defenders of our Holy Faith all take notice of the cruel charges brought against Christians, as the cause of all the public calamities among the Pagans, whose gods they abhorred. The Pagans, therefore, inflamed with superstition, thought they pleased their gods by putting them to death.

fear of reproach and death, and all base self-love. This almighty Agent, by his gracious influence on the mind (at the time he was appealing by wonderful signs to their senses), made the glory of the Lord appear with such transcendent excellency, that thousands were in every place added to the church, who loved their Saviour better than their lives.

Thus, in a visible and grand display of power, the Holy Ghost fulfilled the Redeemer's promise, and laid the foundation of faith in his name. In this manner, "He testified of Jesus, and glorified him." He reproved the world of sin, in their contemptuous rejection of Christ; of righteousness in his cause and person. He convinced the world of judgment, in opening their eyes to see the throne of Satan overturned, his oracles silenced, his temples deserted, abhorred, and miserable captives under his yoke set at liberty without number; for whilst the Holy Ghost, in the judgment of all who would consider, wrought mightily for the gospel, he enlightened the understanding by a subsequent internal influence.

This is evident from the apostle's prayer for the church at Ephesus. By the miracles they had seen, they were convinced of the divine authority of the gospel. They adored its much despised and blasphemed Author. Nevertheless, the apostle clearly distinguishes this conviction flowing from external evidence, from the internal gracious influence of the Holy Ghost. He prays unto God to grant them his spirit, that "the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they might know what was the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his power towards us that believe."

This goes much deeper than the force of miracles could reach. This implies a transforming knowledge of those sublime truths, which miracles alone