66 wise an immediate operation of God; for the means employed have only a moral influence. But this also is the work of the Divine Spirit. Except a man be "born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into "the kingdom of God."s Here "water" either denotes the same thing with the Spirit of God,h or baptism, which the Apostle calls "the washing, the laver, "of regeneration ;" and which, however, as its operation is only moral, derives all its virtue from the Spirit of God. Or perhaps "water" refers to natural generation, as in the following passage: "Hear ye this, O "house of Jacob, which are come forth out of the "waters of Judah."i Beside that natural generation by which a man is born of water, another is necessary, namely, that supernatural one, by which a spiritual man is born of the Spirit. The scope of all these interpretations is the same. They all tend to show that the Spirit of God is the author of our regeneration. We read also of " the renewing of the Holy Ghost;"k and it is said, "The Spirit giveth life."1 XXVII. SANCTIFICATION, in like manner, is the work of God only.m But this work also is ascribed to the Spirit: "And I will put my Spirit within you, "and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall "keep my judgments and do them."n "Ye are sanc tified," says the Apostle, "by the Spirit of our God:" and again, "God hath from the beginning chosen you "to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit."r * John iii. 5, 6. i Tit. iii. 5. Tit. iii. 5. m Ezek. xx. 12. xxxvii. 28. 1 Cor. vi. 11.. VOL. II. 2 U h See Is. xliv. 3. j Is. xlviii. 1. 1 2 Cor. iii. 6. ■ Ezek. xxxvi. 27. r 2 Thes. ii. 13. 31. And that none may imagine that the Spirit, like the word, is merely an instrumental cause of sanctification, let it be observed, that the Spirit sanctifies us in one respect, and the word in another; for the moral efficacy of the word depends entirely on the supernatural and efficacious operation of the Spirit. Hence the Spirit with his operations, is joined with the word, and yet distinguished from the word.a XXVIII. In fine, to perform MIRACLES by his own power, is the work of God only: "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things." But the Holy Spirit doeth such things by his own power; for the Apostle speaks of "mighty signs, and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God." Nay, whatever works of this sort Christ performed, he performed by the power of the Spirit, which is also his own power. "I cast out devils," says he," by the Spirit of God." 66 XXIX. We come next to treat of that Divine HoNOUR and worship which is due to the Holy Spirit. And, first, let us take notice of that religious adoration of the Spirit, which, whatever may be alleged by others to the contrary, we find both enjoined and exemplified in the sacred volume. Accordingly the following precept occurs in the Gospel of Matthew :" Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send "forth labourers into his harvest." The Lord of the harvest, who thrusts forth labourers, is the Spirit of God, as we learn from Acts xiii. 2. where we find an instance of obedience to this precept. "As they mi"nistered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost "said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." An answer is returned by the Spirit to the prayers of the prophets and teachers of the Church of Antioch; and why so, but because he was invocated by them? The Spirit also, as Lord, declares by his own authority, what he would have Barnabas and Saul to do; and asserts that it is himself who has called them to the ministry. 66 Xxx. Nor are examples wanting. That of Paul is well known, where he solicits grace from the Lord Jesus Christ, and love from God the Father, and in like manner, his own communications from the Holy Ghost. To the same effect is the prayer of John: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace "be unto you, and peace from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits "which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, "who is the faithful witness," &c.w In order to illustrate this passage, we must show, first, what the seven Spirits denote; and secondly, in what manner John calls upon them. By the seven Spirits are not here intended any created spirits, either angelical or human, but the third person of the Godhead; which we infer from the consideration of the ancient symbol alluded to, as well as from the style of the sacred book of the Apocalypse. There is an allusion to the golden candlestick with its seven lamps in the tabernacle of Moses. This is plainly suggested by the following words; "There were seven lamps of fire burning be"fore the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."x The tabernacle, be it observed, was a figure of the 2 Cor. xiii. 14. * Rev. iv. 5. "Rev. i. 4, 5. Church; and the candlestick, of the Holy Spirit, to whom the Church is indebted for all her light. The candlestick, though one in itself, had seven distinct lamps. The person of the Holy Spirit, too, is one; but his grace is most abundant and most perfect; for the number seven is a symbol of multitude and of perfection. The seven lamps were formed of one continued beaten work, proceeding from the candlestick it, self. And the graces of the Holy Spirit are, so to speak, essential to him, and proceed from the all-sufficiency of his godhead. For this reason he is denominated from them, "The Spirit of wisdom and under"standing, the Spirit of counsel and might," &c. But the very style of the Apocalypse leads us also to this interpretation. These seven Spirits are called "the "Spirits of God;"a and I can recollect no passage in. holy writ, where any created Spirit is called by this name. The seven Spirits are placed betwixt the Father and the Son, as of the same dignity. They are also called the horns and the eyes of Christ. Holy Spirit, to wit, is "the Spirit of Christ." exhibited under the emblem of horns, because of the power of the Spirit which is often celebrated; and under the emblem of eyes, either on account of his knowledge, or because the look of Christ is a look of love, and his love appears in the gift of the Spirit. In fine, we nowhere read that these seven Spirits worship God, which is done by the living creatures, and the elders. But on the contrary, they are invocated by John-an honour which doth not belong to created spirits. And y Exod. xxv. 31. ■ Rev. iv. 5. • Gal. iv. 6. Rom. viii. 9. • Rev. xix. 10. xxii. 9. 1 Is. xi. 2. b Rev. v. 6. d Rom. v. 5. The in what manner doth John call upon them? In the same manner, with the same worship, as that with which he calls upon the Father and the Son, adoring the Spirit without any mark of distinction, as equally with the Father and the Son, the Author of grace and peace. XXXI. Another instance of the ascription of Divine honour to the Spirit, is that we are baptized in his name. This is clearly a Divine honour; for, 1st, He in whose name we are baptized is recognised as the true God, the author of the sacraments, the Lord and Lawgiver of the Church,-characters which are peculiar to Jehovah.s 2dly, We confide in him as one able to impart and perform the thing signified by the sign. This also is competent to God only; for who that is not God, can afford us the grace, the fellowship, the enjoyment of God, which are sealed by the sacraments? 3dly, In this sacrament we surrender ourselves to him in whose name we are baptized, to serve and obey him; for in baptism there is "the answer of a good conscience towards God."h This again is an honour too high to fall to the share of any creature. And hence Paul disclaims it with great warmth; "Were ye baptized in the name of Paul ?” i XXXII. Add to this, that we are consecrated as a Temple to the Holy Spirit. "Know ye not that ye "are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God "dwelleth in you?"; "Know ye not that your body "is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you ?”k Now a temple is the house of God only, "an house |