When he convinces the sinner, he only wills that conviction should take place. When he converts the sinner, he only wills that conversion should take place; and when he sanctifies the heart, he only wills, that sanctification should take place.

That the Holy Spirit wills the conversion and sanctification of the heart, whenever these effects take place, none will deny, who admit the existence of that Divine agent. Whenever these effects take place, I presume Dr. Taylor himself will admit, that the Holy Spirit wills their existence, both in themselves considered, and all things considered; and that he wills not only their existence, but their immediate existence. To will these effects, therefore, is the precise thing which the Holy Spirit does; and since his agency consists solely in his will, it is the only thing which he docs in the work of regeneration and sanctification.

"Love is

A new heart consists essentially in holy love. the fulfilling of the law," or the sum and substance of all that God requires, Consequently, it is all that he requires in the command, "Make you a new heart and a new spirit." When the Holy Spirit changes the heart, therefore, he only wills that the subject should exercise this free voluntary affection. Holy" love is the fruit," and the very first "fruit of the Spirit."

Holy love, enters into the very idea of repentance for sin, and faith in Christ, and every other holy affection and exercise of heart. It is, therefore, the essence and comprehension of all that the Holy Spirit chooses should take place in men, when he renews and sanctifies their hearts.

The Holy Spirit wills, that the elect should love God, and they immediately love him with all their hearts. He wills their repentance, and they immediately repent in dust and ashes. He wills their humility and submission, and they immediately say, “Amen" to the curse of God's holy law, and submit to their beloved Sovereign, without condition and with

out reserve.

He wills their faith in Christ, and they immediately embrace the Saviour, as the "Chief among ten thousands and altogether lovely." As the Holy Spirit wills their sanctification, they freely and voluntarily "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Divines have generally made a distinction between the common and special influence of the Holy Spirit. By his common influence, they mean his agency in awakening and convincing sinners; and by his special influence, they mean his agency in the work of regeneration and sanctification. His common influence consists in willing the awakening and conviction of sinners; and his special influence consists in willing the conversion and sanctification of the elect.

I proceed,

III. To show that the special influence or agency of the Holy Spirit is "irresistible, according to the primary, proper import of that term."

"The primary, proper import " of the term irresistible, is that which cannot be successfully resisted. The special influence of the Holy Spirit, however, can neither be successfully resisted by the subject, nor resisted at all. When I say it cannot be resisted by the subject, I mean, that such resistance, by the subject, is morally impossible.

There is, indeed, a sense in which sinners resist the Holy Ghost. Stephen said to the unbelieving Jews, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye." But their resistance did not consist in counteracting and thwarting either the special or common agency of the Holy Spirit. Sinners may be said to resist the Holy Spirit, when they oppose his character and designs, his word and works. But they never can prevent the Holy Spirit from awakening, convincing or converting them, whenever he pleases.

Sinners always grieve, vex and provoke the Holy Spirit, till they are renewed. But he never abandons sinners because he is unable to convert them. Though they are in constant

danger of provoking the Holy Spirit to abandon them forever, yet, whenever he does abandon sinners, he does it as a Sovereign. He always continues his awakening and convincing influence, just as long as he pleases; and whenever he withdraws this influence, he does it of choice, not of compulsion.

ences.

He

It is true, the Holy Spirit is said to strive with sinners. But this does not mean, that he strives to convert them and finds himself unable. This Scriptural phraseology denotes, that the Holy Spirit uses with sinners the means of salvation, and contends with their unbelief and hardness of heart. strives with sinners by causing them to hear the instructions, precepts and admonitions of his word, and by causing their own conscience to do its office. These are his common influBefore sinners become the subjects of his special or renewing influence, they hate his character, they hate his word, they hate his designs, and they hate the convictions which he produces in their minds. This is the only sense in which sinhers strive against, and resist the Holy Ghost. But though sinners" always resist the Holy Ghost" in this sense, yet they can never prevent him from awakening and convincing them whenever he chooses. It is only for him to will their conviction, and they are convinced "of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment."

There is, however, no sense in which the special or renewing agency of the Holy Spirit is ever resisted by the sinner, in his own case. The special agency of the Spirit is of such a character, as necessarily to supersede and prevent all opposition to it, in the subject. It is naturally impossible for the sinner to oppose that influence before it takes place, because he cannot foresee that influence; and after it has taken place, opposition to it, becomes morally impossible. For as soon as that influence takes place, the work is done, and the subject has no heart to oppose. The special agency of the Holy Spirit, therefore, is irresistible according to the primary, proper import of that term. To say, that men can resist his re

newing influence, when they become the subjects of it, is the same as to say, that they can be renewed and remain unrenewed, at the same time; and to say, that they can resist his sanctifying influence, when they become the subjects of it, is the same as to say, that they can be sanctified and remain unsanctified, at the same time. Such resistance, therefore, is morally impossible.

I do not deny, that impenitent sinners always hate and oppose the agency of the Holy Spirit, whenever it comes to their knowledge; and this is the only sense in which men ever do resist, and the only sense in which they ever can resist the agency of the Holy Spirit. In this sense, they can resist, and in this sense they do resist the agency of the Father, as really, and as much, as they resist the agency of the Holy Spirit.. For every sinner hates the agency of God the Father, as much as he hates the agency of the Holy Ghost; and yet no one pretends, that the agency of God the Father, can be resisted, according to the primary, proper import of that term.

The truth is, resistance implies something more than mere hatred. It primarily and properly signifies to withstand, hinder, or prevent. The terms resistless and irresistible, as applied to the Divine agency in general, and the agency of the Holy Spirit, in particular, mean the same as invincible.

Now there is no more reason to deny, that the agency of the Holy Spirit is invincible, than there is to deny, that the agency of the Father is invincible. For the agency of the Holy Spirit is of essentially the same nature, as the agency of the Father.

Indeed the will of the Holy Spirit must be invincible, because it is omnipotent. It created the world, it wrought miracles, and it raised Christ from the dead. That will which could produce such effects as these, can produce every thing which is an act of power. It can cause any thing which does not imply a contradiction. But the Holy Spirit never wills a contradiction, nor an absurdity. Whatever he wills, therefore,

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must certainly take place. I mean, whatever he wills, all things considered, should immediately take place, will immediately and infallibly come to pass. Whenever he thus wills the conviction, conversion or sanctification of his creatures, his will is necessarily omnipotent and efficient.

To deny that the Holy Spirit wills such effects, is the same as to deny his agency altogether; and to say, that his agency is not efficient, is the same as to say, that his volitions are not omnipotent.

It is impossible, in the nature of things, for creatures to prevent those volitions of the Holy Spirit, in which his agency consists; and it is equally impossible for them to prevent the effects of his volitions. The only opposition which they can make to the Holy Spirit, consists in their will. To say, therefore, that they can render it impossible for the Holy Spirit either to convince or convert them, is the same as to make their will superior to his.

The Holy Spirit has expressly taught us his own efficiency in his holy word. It is written, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God, [the Holy Spirit,] which worketh in you to will and to do, of his good pleasure." He says himself, "I create the fruit of the lips." The prophet Isaiah says, "Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou, also, hast wrought all our works in us." Saints "are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto love and good works." The Holy Spirit represents this new creation as a more astonishing display of Divine power, than the creation of the visible heavens and earth. "For behold I create new heavens, and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." Christians are represented as being spiritually illuminated by the same omnipotent agency which said, "Let there be light, and there was light." "For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,