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tures and things in the natural and in the moral world; the hearts of all are in his hand, and he turneth them as the rivers of water are turned. Many devices are in the heart of man, but the counsel of the Lord that fhall ftand. The fin, the misery, the infirmities and imperfections of creatures, are effential in his plan of declaring the character of God; they are effential to his own manifeftation in the flesh; and to the exiftence of fuch a character as EMMANUEL GOD WITH US, This glorious character is the power of God and the wisdom of God; he is the ONLY BEGOTTEN of the Father full of grace and truth. In him the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteoufnefs of men ; he has perfectly declar,

cial obfervers esteem defects or blanks in the creation-in the fin and utter and eternal deftruction of Lucifer fon of the morning, with his hoft of rebel angels, who, at first, were probaby the nobleft creatures of God, and the fovereign difcrimination between them and those who kept their firft eftate—in the fall of man, the loweft order of rational creatures, to the depth of mifery and wretchedness, and his recovery, by Christ, to the fublimeft heights of creature happiness and glory, even to fit down with him in his throne, as he is fet down with the Father in his throne-in the riches of divine grace manifefted in the origin, developement, and completion of the plan of recovery in general, and particularly in the events of God's common providence-in the objects of Di-ed by his work as MEDIATOR the vine mercy, whether individuals or nations in the difcipline which God has chofen to train up his people for the heavenly inheritance and in the inftruments which he has employed in falvations, from time to time, wrought out for his people, and particularly in the great falvation of the gofpel.

I will clofe with the following remarks. God is in himself invifible to creatures, except in his operations and acts; indeed, the character of no agent whatever can be difcerned by creatures, intuitively; they are known by their operations and acts only. No man hath feen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him; and he hath declared him by his works of creation, providence and redemption. All events, without diftinction, are the fruit of his agency; he operates in all crea

love of God and the righteousness of God. In him mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kiffed each other. And through him will the beauty and glory of the ONLY LIVING God be feen and enjoyed forever by the holy inhabitants of heav en. Thus he is the brightness of God's glory and the exprefs image of his perfon. The existence of fin and mifery then is as impor tant as the exiftence, manifeftation and eternal duration of fuck a character. Again,

No event whatever, confidered as the fruit of divine agency, fhuns the fevereft fcrutiny of reafon. The general good requires that fome creatures fhould be veffels of mercy prepared unto glory, and others veffels of wrath fitted to deftruction; and the fovereignty of God, in fo difpofing, is a holy, wife and good fovereignty. Whatever objections then we find in our hearts to fuch a disposal

expreffions in facred writ.

muft origniate from fin, and not from reafon. As we have nothing" Therefore brethren, we were to object then on the ground comforted over you in all our of reafon it becomes us to be affliction and diftrefs, by your humble for the perverfe oppofition faith.""God-who comfortwe experience to the fovereignty eth us in all our tribulation, that of God in our depraved hearts, we may be able to comfort them and to bow to the dominion of who are in any trouble, by the God only wife; faying with Mo- comfort wherewith we ourfelves. fes: "He is the rock, his work are comforted of God." is perfect; for all his ways are 'judgment, a God of truth, and without iniquity: juft and right ' is he."

In this feeble attempt to trace the perfection of God's work, I have chiefly attended to fuch parts of it as inconfideration or perverfenefs are apt to pronounce blemishes. If I have in any good measure fucceeded in vindicating these from so foul an afperfion, and juftified the ways of God, I fhall have attained an important object in view, and efpecially if I have shown with fatisfactory evidence, that they are an important medium of proof of the truth .of this propofition, That there is none good but one, that is God: for this is a truth, of all others the most important, as it lies at the foundation of the happiness of God's kingdom, and of his own eternal praife. OMICRON.

On the comfort of the Holy Ghoft. Y the comfort of the Holy Ghoft, we may understand all that spiritual fupport, refreshment and joy, which the people of God experience in confequence and by virtue of their union to Chrift by faith. The term comfort which is nearly fynonymous with confolation, prefuppofes affliction, or diftrefs; but implies that fome agreeable object, or truth is prefented to the mind which gives relief and fupport. Thus it is ufed in the following

The comfort experienced by Chriftians, in all their tribulation, is from the Holy Ghost as the author, or efficient caufe; and is therefore called, Acts ix. 31. "The comfort of the Holy Ghoft." Agreeably to this, Chrift, when he promised to his disciples to fend them the Holy Spirit, denominated him the Comforter. "I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth." It is true the fcriptures represent God the Father as the author and giver of all comfort; and the Son alfo, as being anointed "to bind up the broken hearted, and comfort all that mourn." But notwithstanding thefe reprefentations, and in perfect confiftency with them, the Holy Spirit, in the economy of redemption, is "the Comforter"-the author of all comfort to the children of God. The Father comforts; but it is by his Spirit, even the Comforter. Chrift alfo comforts and binds up the broken hearted; but it is by the efficiency of the Holy Spirit.-The Spirit of God. is the great agent, in the new creation and every thing which pertains to it. He is the author of regeneration to the elect-of fanctification to the regenerateof comfort to the fanctified-and of all the gifts for edification which in the divine wildom and fovereignty are beftowed upon the

church. He applies the redemption purchased by Chrift, to all thofe who are given him by the Father. As he formed a natural body for Christ, so he forms for him alfo, a myftical body, and preferves and fupports it, and all its members; and fupplies them with whatever is neceffary to their being built up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto falvation. And as he is no lefs the author of comfort to Christians, than of fanctification, and all fpiritual gifts; fo he may be properly styled "the Comforter," and the comfort which he gives may be called "the comfort of the Holy Ghoft." Confidering the Holy Ghoft, therefore, as the author of all Chriftian comfort, we may inquire relative to the fources from whence it is derived, and the way and means by which it is communicated.

The great fources of Christian comfort are the divine perfections; or the things of God and his kingdom. And the chief inftrument or mean by which the Spirit of God brings thefe fources into the view of the mind, for comfort, is, the fcriptures, or word of God. In this, as in every other refpect, God has magnified his word above all his name. As the Holy Spirit fandlifies the people of God by his truth, fo he comforts them by the fame means, the truth, or word of God. Accordingly the apoftle fays "whatfoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we thro patience and comfort of the fcriptures might have hope." The fcriptures therefore, are a mean of comfort: But they are fo, only in the hand, or by the "miniftration of the Spirit." They contain a revelation of the things of God and his kingdom: And by attention to the reading of them,

and to the word preached, fome fpeculative knowledge of thefe things may be obtained; yet that fpiritual knowledge and view of them by which they become fources of true comfort is given only by the efficiency of the Holy Spirit-the Comforter. Therefore Chrift faid when he promised the Comforter, to his people, "But the Comforter who is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father will fend in my name, he shall teach you all things-He will guide you into all truth-For he fhall not speak of himfelf; but whatsoever he fhall hear, that fhall he speak, and he will show you things to come." By not fpeaking of himself, but speaking whatever he fhall hear, is meant that he fhall not teach any thing contrary to what Christ taught-nor bring or apply any thing to the minds of Chriftians for confolation, which is not according to the fcriptures, or written word of Chrift. The words might have partial reference to a further revelation to be given by the Spirit to enlarge the canon of scripture, which was not then completed. But fo far as they refpected the office of the Comforter to Chriftians in general, or in after ages, they are to be understood as above. It is added-" He shall glorify me, for he fhall receive of mine, and fhall bow it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore said I, he fhall take of mine, and shall show it unto you."

The things which are Chriff's, and which are the Father's alfo, as here mentioned, are the things which are contained in the fcriptures, relating to the person, offices, and work of Chrift; and whatever refpects the plan, defigns, and government of God.

Now it is the office of the Com forter to foow or reveal thefe things to the people of God. In discharge of this office, he gives to them a clear and fpiritual view of truth, or a fenfe of the reality and glory of the things revealed in the fcriptures. Without this divine teaching and influence of the Spirit, the word, though clearly exhibiting the moft important truths, would remain a dead letter-incapable of giving any fpiritual confolation or Chriftian comfort to the foul. To this purpose are the words of the apoftle 1. Cor. ii. chap. "As it is written, eye hath not feen, nor car 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 unto us by his Spirit For the Spirit fearch eth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, fave the fpirit of a man which is in him? Even fo, the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the fpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned."

The things of Chrift and of God, are in the word fet before the minds of natural men, but they do not "receive" or "know them." They do not perceive their true nature and glory. So far as they at any time feel a conviction of the truth they are exercised with pain. Truth will always be painful to a corrupt heart. But in the fanctified there

VOL. III. No. 2.

is a foundation laid to derive peace and comfort from divine truth. It is to thofe in whom the Holy Spirit hath begun this foundation, that he communicates comfort by the inftrumentality of the fcriptures. To do this to the best advantage, he places them in thofe circumstances of trial which are needful to give them an experimental knowledge of their own nothingness and abfolute depend ence, and in these situations brings to their remembrance, and impreffes upon their minds, in their reality and importance, the things of God and his kingdom, as contained in his word.

Many and various are the forrows, afflictions and discourage. ments of God's children, on ac count of their own great deficien cies and declenfions and in view of their numerous enemies within and without-the great oppofition they fee to the kingdom of Chrift, and the triumphing of its enemies. There is no affliction, or difcouragement which they can be under, but there are alfo, in the word of God, many declarations relative to the divine character and government, and many precious promifes, exactly anfwering to their fituation. Thefe the Spirit of God applies for their fupport and comfort, fo that they can adopt the words of the apoftle with application to themselves, "as forrowful, yet always rejoicing." Are they in circumftances of poverty and want, or afflicted with pain, fickness, loffes or bereavements? They learn their dependence and the vanity of this world-They look to God thro his word, and eye the divine hand in all their circumftances-They trust in God as their portion, and rejoice that he reigns. They have meat to eat which the world G

knoweth not of. "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away-bleffed be the name of the Lord"-"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth I defire befides thee." Do they look round on children, families and friends, with rifing anxiety, beholding them expofed to be left orphans, defencelefs, and furrounded by all the fnares of an alluring, delufive world, and in the midft of prevailing vice, error and impiety? Yet in view of the perfections of God-his holy and wife providence and the precious truths and promifes of his word, they can cheerfully commit all to him-leave the morrow to take thought for the things of itfelf, and find comfort and fupport in the confideration of their dependence. Are they bowed down with a fenfe of their infufficiency and weaknefs, and their proneness to wander from God through the power of indwelling fin? The Holy Spirit, faithful to his office as Comforter, fets before them the divine character, and the precious promifes of God to his children, that he will never leave them nor forfake themthat his grace fhall be fufficient for them and that as their day is fo fhall their strength be. Thus they are ftrengthened and comforted-and while they loathe themfelves, and are difpofed to fay with the apostle, "O wretched man that I am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this death," they can add alfo with him, "I thank God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord." And even when they are in darknefs, doubts and fears, relative to the ground of their perfonal hope, divine truth is by the Holy Spirit, made a comfort and fuppert, fo that they

fay, "though he flay me, yet

will I truft in him."-Pleafed with the divine character and law

and defiring no other method of falvation than that in the gofpel, the language of their hearts is," let the Lord be magnified." Thus there is a degree of Chriftian comfort and support, in the truly humble foul, even when in great doubt relative to a perfonal intereft in Christ. A spiritual view of God and divine things is always accompanied with a degree of joy and comfort to the foul.

Again-Are the people of God pained and distressed in view of abounding iniquity, and the danger and perishing state of finners? They are comforted by the confideration that the Lord will do whatfoever feemeth good in his fight-that the refidue of the Spirit is with him-that he has infinite wifdom and goodness, and while he can have mercy on whom he will have mercy, the great object and defire of his heart is, to glorify the riches of his grace, and thereby promote the highest happinefs of his kingdom. And when the ways of Zion mourn, and the enemics of Chrift lift up their heads and triumph in expectation of the downfal of his church-ftill they find comfort and fupport in confideration of the rock on which it is built-and in view of the promises of God that the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it-and that the wrath of man fhall praise him, and the remainder of wrath he will reftrain. Thus forrows, trials, imperfections, the temptations of the world-all the various circumflances and fituations in which Chriftians are placed, are defigned and overruled for their good. It is to give them opportunity of becoming experimentally acquainted

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