188 The Love of Wifdom S E R M. turally have of the Deity, the fcripture con - VII. taineth exprefs promifes of divine inftruftion `"*"."'"'' to fuch as are rcligioufly difpofed to receive it ; and, as I obferved before, all pious dif- pofitions are comprehended in the love of wifdom. Thus, in Prov. i. 23. Turn you at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my fpi- rit upon you, I will make known my words un- to you. This promife, though fometimes mentioned in the Old Teftament, is more clearly and exprefsly given in the New, and the advantages of it are more fully explain- ed. There we are taught, that the Holy Ghoft was fent down from heaven to in- ftruEt finners, to convince the world of fin, of righteoufnefs, and judgment; not only to infpire the apoftles and aflift them in an ex- traordinary manner for the confirmation of chriftianity, but to abide always in the chriftian church, to accompany the mini- ftration of righteoufnefs by his gracious in- fluence, enlightening the minds of men, re- claiming them from their errors, delivering them from their prejudices againft the wif- dom which is from above, and, in fine, operating powerfully on their minds, that good difpofitions may be formed in them4 and carried on to perfection. Thefe
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