neth, and when he leaveth off, then he shall be doubtful. (Ecclus. xviii. 6, 7.)

Of this we are sure, and it is enough for us to know, because our best happiness is built upon our faith; that if the Scriptures be (as we must allow they are) the inspired word of God, what they plainly deliver must be true, because it is in effect delivered by God, who can neither be deceived himself, nor will deceive us; and who, as he is the author of salvation to all them that believe, so he would not have kept back any thing that was necessary to that end. Now, it is undeniable that the Scriptures declare both these propositions; that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet that there are not three Gods, but one God, we are as sure as we can be of any thing that is spoken or written for our understanding; and, therefore, that they are both true, and to be believed, we may also be certain. But how, or after what manner, to pronounce for certainty this to be so, as to remove every appearance of contradiction, that may strike our present weak capacity, for this I cannot engage. If we expect spiritual things to be as plain to our limited faculties as temporal things, in this the Holy Scripture doth not satisfy our curiosity, nor therefore does it become us to pronounce any thing more particular about it than they have done.

And if we are asked a reason why we then deliver the articles of our faith in such terms as convey a difficulty of apprehension to many, i. e. why we say there are three Persons, and but one divine nature, and add a term not found in Scripture to express ourselves? we have a plain and indisputable answer, viz. that it is impossible for finite and imperfect beings to find proper language for infinite and perfect things: in short, because we know not better how to express the unity and distinction of them; and also, that they are terms which the church has long received; nor can there be any reason to lay them aside, unless we knew of better or more proper language to employ instead of them.

Thus much, then, may suffice to say to you, at this time, on the divinity and personality of the HOLY SPIRIT, and the proof of his being the third blessed Person in the mysterious and ever adorable Trinity.

We shall now proceed to consider this divine Person in the relation that more immediately affects ourselves in that of his particular office, and the benefits we receive thereby. Now, these are of the greatest importance to us, it being through the influence of the Holy Spirit alone, that our sinful nature can be qualified to exercise any acts that will prepare us for an admittance into God's king

dom. But, to be more particular: it is on account of the work he must do upon our souls, that the attribute of holy is in a more pointed manner applied to him (as before observed); for, as our Catechism expresses it elsewhere, in the language of the Apostle (Rom. xv. 16), it is the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth us, and all the elect people of God; and again (1 Cor. vi, 11), For we are washed, we are sanctified, we are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; we are chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth. (2 Thess. ii. 13.)

First, it is through the operation of the Holy Spirit we are regenerated at our baptism. This our blessed Lord declares (John, iii. 5), Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. And it is most truly spoken by the Apostle (Titus, iii. 5), that not by works of righteousness which we have done (independent of divine grace or aid), but according to his mercy, God hath saved us, by the working of regeneration, and the renewal of the Holy Ghost (i. e. the influence of God's Spirit enlightening, correcting, and assisting the weak powers of a fallen, degenerated nature, as to any thing in itself essentially good). Nothing can be more clear or true, whether this be applied to infants, incapable of working, or to those advanced to

years of fulfilling the commandment. As to the former, the supplication, that the infant may receive remission of sin, by spiritual regeneration; and further, that the water may be sanctified to the mystical washing away of sin (that is, a purification from the innate, inherent depravity or degeneracy incurred by original sin, infecting human nature), it is through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, in whose name he is baptized, or (as the words just quoted express) by the working of regeneration, and the renewal of the Holy Ghost, that the creature is restored to favour. And as to those who are arrived to years of maturity to act, and understand; what work of acceptable righteousness can the best perform, that proceeds not from the grace of God, and gift of the Spirit? After the fall of man from his first state of purity, he forfeited the protection of this good Spirit-he lost the benefit of his help; it was as impossible he could renew himself, as make himself; he was necessarily become a child of wrath, and must have remained so, but for God's mercy through Christ. For the sake of what HE engaged to do, and did, God promised to repair man's nature, and that by the operation or gifts of his Holy Spirit, whereby we are born again, and by baptism become children of grace; i. e. of mere mercy and free favour. By this Holy Spirit, then, we are united to Christ; for by one Spirit

(saith the Apostle) we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and that body is Christ. (1 Cor. xii. 13.) And we have this further proof of our union with him by the Spirit that abideth in us, because, by keeping his commandments, we are sure that he dwelleth in us. (1 John, iii. 24.) It is he who enables us to persevere in every truly religious undertaking; for we are not sufficient of ourselves to do any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. By him are the eyes of our understanding opened, that we may see the truth; for we must feel and confess, that the natural man desireth not the things of the Spirit of God, nor can he, for they are spiritually discerned. As far, therefore, as we are conscious we do earnestly thirst after those good things, we have this comfortable evidence that the Spirit of the Lord is with us. And by this divine gift it was that Christ opened the eyes of the Apostles, that they might understand the Scriptures. (Luke, xxiv. 45.) By him the Lord touched the heart of the devout Lydia, that she attended unto the things that were spoken by St. Paul; and from a deep sense of the need of this supernatural aid, the holy Psalmist so earnestly exclaims (Psalm cxix. 18), Lord, open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wondrous things of thy law.

That our unregenerated will is averse from