come a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted a forest," Isaiah xxxii. 15, for the Lord God promised such "an cutpouring of his Spirit," Isaiah xliv. 3, 4. Yea, on account of the increase of the gifts of the Spirit in the days of the New Testament, it is said, that the Spirit was not given before Jesus was glorified, John vii. 38, 39. Therefore the ministration of the New Testament is also the ministration of the Spirit," 2 Cor. iii. 8.

III. That we may at length finish our meditations on the Holy Ghost, we must expound our third general head, to wit, how we must believe in the Holy Ghost.

The Remonstrants, who have no great regard for the doctrine of the Holy Ghost, as they have not neither for that of the Trinity, say that there is no express command to believe in the Holy Ghost; but are we not commanded to believe in the Holy Ghost when we are commanded to believe in God, since the Holy Ghost is God, as they themselves allow? Faith is a holding of a person's testimony to be true. Now the scripture is the testimony of the Holy Ghost; when then we are commanded to believe the word of God, we are then also commanded to believe in the . Holy Ghost. And therefore every person, who confesseth his faith saith also, I believe in the Holy Ghost.

This faith in the Holy Ghost consists, (a) in holding with an as sured mind the testimony of the Holy Ghost, and so the whole word of God, to be true, on account of the testimony of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit exhibits many evidences of the truth and divinity of the word, both in the scripture itself, and in the hearts of believers; for "the Spirit testifieth that the Spirit is the truth," 1 John v. 5, whereby believers then become assured of the truth and divinity of the word, and do thus believe. Faith in the Holy Ghost consists also, (b) in accepting him in and through Christ upon his proffer. The Lord Jesus proclaims to every sinner, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive," John vii. 38, 39. Now he who believes in Christ, accepts also this promise in and with him. Add to this, that (c) faith in the Holy Ghost consists also in the believer's having an assurance, that the Holy Ghost is given to him also for such gifts, according to the testimony of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost testifieth in the word, that he who believes in the Son, doth also partake of him, as we have seen, John vii. 38, 39. The Spirit enables the believer to take a near view of his hearts.and causeth him to see that he himself hath wrought faith therein; för "the Spirit which is

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of God, causes him to know the things, which are freely given to him of God," I Cor. ii. 12. Whereupon "the Spirit of God testi fieth with the believer's spirit, that he is a child of God," Rom. vii. 16. And therefore he doth not believe this of his own imagination, but upon the divine testimony of the Spirit himself.

APPLICATION,

When we now duly consider all that hath been said, must we not conclude that the Spirit works grace in the elect effectually, in such a manner, that he changes the heart, and irresistibly? surely yes; for the Holy Ghost is the true God, and he works in a divine manner in the work of grace, with "the exceeding greatness of his power, according to the working of his mighty power," Eph. i. 19. reformed church therefore teaches with good reason, that there is such an effectual grace: but those who oppose this doctrine, and set free-will against the Spirit, deny the Holy Spirit and his work of grace. The Socinians, who connect their doctrines better than the Remonstrants, do also show this, when they deny with the Godhead of the Spirit, likewise his effectual work of grace.

"Paul finding certain disciples at Ephesus, said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Acts xix. 1, 2. He spoke of the superordinary gifts of the Spirit, which in those days were communicated also to common Christians, as we see in the sixth verse: but I also ask you, whoever ye be, Have ye received the saving gifts of the Holy Ghost. Verily this a matter of the greatest importance to you, for if ye have the Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you," according to 1 Peter iv. 14, ye have then also the Father and the Son, "ye abide in God, and God abideth in you ;" for "we know this, because he hath given us of his Spirit," 1 John iv. 13. Ye have then also saving faith, and partake of Christ and of all his benefits; ye may live joyfully and comfortably in peace, and the God of love and of peace will be with you, yea, his Spirit will abide with you for ever; but if ye have not the Spirit, ye are then yet "natural men, who have not the Spirit," as holy Jude speaks in his epistle, at the nineteenth verse, and therefore"ye cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God; for they áre foolishness unto you; neither can ye know them, because they are spiritually discerned," 1 Cor. ii. 14. Ye have no saving interest

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in Christ: for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Ye are yet after the flesh, and do mind the things of the flesh, ye cannot please God, and shall therefore die," Rom. viii. 5, 8, 9, 13. Therefore bethink yourselves well. What answer do ye return to yourselves upon that important question. Have ye receiv, ed the Holy Ghost? Do ye wish to discover your condition, that it may conduce to your salvation, attend then to the different dispositions of men, and see whether ye can find your own.

1. Many do not know at all what it is to have the Spirit; they may indeed say with the disciples at Ephesus, Acts xix. 2. "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." The things of this life possess their hearts so, that they regard nothing but eating, drinking, laboring, buying and selling: doth any person speak to them concerning the Spirit, and his experimental works, they look upon it to be strange talk, which exceeds their comprehension; yea, some will deride it, as enthusiasm; "but," as Peter saith, "these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption," 2 Peter ii. 12. Thus holy Jude also speaks in the tenth verse of his epistle.

2. Others are not so ignorant nor blasphemous, but exceedingly devout, they hear gladly a serious sermon, and with Herod do many things; yea, some are exceedingly attentive, and have also an understanding of the word, yea, they relish it so, that through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus they escape the pollutions of the world, and show thus that they are also partakers of the Holy Ghost. But they depend upon this common work, they promise themselves heaven in consequence of it, and doubt not that they will be saved. Unhappy men, who have no more than this, who have neither Spirit nor life, are not regenerated, nor united to Christ! have not many temporary believers proceeded further than ye have? See it in Balaam, Numb. xxiii. 24, in Judas and others, Matt. vii. 22, 23. xiii. 20, 21. Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. 2 Peter ii. 20.

3. There is still another kind of persons: these experience such an inward working of the Spirit convincing them of sin and of their unhappy condition, that they feel an arrow in their souls: but some cannot endure such a particular discovery, and therefore they oppose it in an angry manner, and so "resist the Holy Ghost," Acts vil. 51. Others are exceedingly grieved, that they are so miserable, but the work is not perfected, it is only a sea-sick qualm, which soon ceaseth they either reform a little, and depend thereon, without ever partaking of the true life of regeneration and of faith, or they

divert their distress by amusements, or by necessary business; a continuing careless and not being able to get rid of their disties, they dismiss their concern, and neglect their salvation, and do no strive any more to be saved. Yea, many, when the Holy Spirit convinceth them, will look upon it to be a weakness of faith, and a assault of the devil, which they ought to resist; and if they canne get rid of their concern, and complain of it to an unskilful person, who is not acquainted with the work of grace, such an one will sometimes inform them, that it is nothing but a distemper of their brain, which they must endeavour to remove. And thus are these unhappy persons kept back from Christ, the only Saviour.

4. There are also some, who are exceedingly concerned whether the work of the Holy Ghost, which they perceive in themselves, be indeed the saving work of the Spirit of grace according to the word of God. They would not willingly deceive themselves in this matter, and therefore they examine themselves repeatedly, and ask persons of understanding how they ought to conduct with themselves in this respect, so that they may not be finally deceived, and what are the true evidences of the Spirit of grace.

We inform these (a) that this concern, serious examination, and restless desire of the Spirit of grace, is a sure evidence, that they are truly partakers of the Holy Spirit; for the Holy Ghost causeth persons to "search," in this manner, "all things, yea, the deep things of God," and particularly, whether that "be revealed to them, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which hath never en tered into the heart of man," as Paul teacheth, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 12, How much soever temporary believers may have of the Spirit, nevertheless, they will not suspect themselves so much, they never labour with themselves, but only with their understandings, that they may apprehend spiritual things, may instruct others in a masterly manner, and may imagine that they partake of the Spirit of salvation. (b) The Spirit of grace humbles a person, and renders him lowly; for he discovers to him the abominable nature of his sins, so that he is ashamed of himself, detests and humbles himself on account of them; the Spirit causeth him, not only when he is first convinced, but also daily, to bewail his iniquity, to mourn and lament over it. This we see, Zech. xii. 10. The temporary believer neglects this, he thinks that his sins are forgiven him. (c) The Spirit of grace imparts a knowledge of himself, by which the believer knows from experience the working of the Spirit; he sees that it is the Spirit who humbles him, stirs up his desires to Christ, detaches him from that which is visible and sinful, and works in him a delight to do the

will of the Lord. He saith with the spouse; "It is the voice of my Beloved," Song ii. 8. Can he not venture, through an unbelieving mistrustfulness, to think that the Spirit of grace influenceth him, he nevertheless knows how he would have it; when another exhihits the true nature of the spiritual work of grace, he thinks, yea, this is it, and his desire goes out after it, to possess it in the same manner. But the temporary believer doth not know this: doth he even know what the word saith, the Spirit hath not however revealed himself to him by the word: "The Spirit of truth, the world cannot receive” saith the Saviour, "because it seeth him not; neither knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you,” John xiv. 17. See also 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, 16. (d) The Spirit of grace unites the believer to Christ, he discovers him to the soul, so that she desires him, surrenders herself to him, and receives him; for "the Spirit of truth testifieth of Jesus," John xv. 26. "The Spirit strengthens him with might in the inner man, that Christ may dwell by faith in his heart," Eph. iii. 16, 17. Others remain out of Christ, and attend only to certain outward duties. (e) The Holy Spirit also sanctifies the soul, renders her averse from sin, causes her to fight against it, that she may be delivered from it, and may live only to God, according to the Spirit: others think that they are great proficients in holiness, when they only abstain from gross iniquities, though their whole heart be filled with the things of the earth. This evidence Paul gives us, Rom. viii. 5. "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit," (f) The Spirit accompanies his word. See this, Isaiah lix. 21. Acts x. 44. xvi. 14. Because the Spirit influenceth the soul by the word, therefore the believer hath so great a desire to it, so great a delight in it, and love to it: but others excite certain emotions in themselves without the word, by certain exertions, and compel themselves to believe that these are the works of the Holy Ghost; or they content themselves with the word, although their souls remain cold and immovable, and without spirit.

Ye may now see whether ye have received the Spirit of grace or not; and have ye not received that Spirit, be concerned, and be desirous to receive the Spirit, pray to God that he would give him to you: : for "the heavenly Father giveth the Holy Spirit to them that ask him," Luke xi. 13. Remain under a serious ministration of the Spirit, even the word; for "the Holy Ghost falls on them who bear the word," Acts x. 44.

But do ye truly and savingly partake of the Holy Ghost, take heed to conduct properly toward him; and therefore,