Of the Blf dnef of the Pure in Heart. 369 human conflitution, have found themfelves S E R M. unable to account even for the loweft fen- XIII. Tations without refolving them into his and agency) that he fhould communicate the knowledge of himfelf, to the good and well difpofed minds of men. But the fcripture is very exprefs on this head, attributing our knowledge of God to himfelf, as the foun- tain of it, not only as he giveth us the original capacity of difcerning the evidences of his being, but the actual, and the gra- dually increafing manifeftations of his own glor1y, in proportion as we are prepared for it by purity of heart. Particularly, the New Teflament hath clearly eflablifhed the doc- trine of the Bleffed Spirit the Comforter, as a confront refident in the church to teach chriftians and lead them in the way of di.. vine truth. It is this heavenly inflruftion which prepareth and difpofeth men to re- ceive and obey the chriflian doarine. Our Saviour therefore faith, john vi. 45. refer - ing to the ancient prophecies, they 'hall he all taught of God; every one, therefore, that bath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me But frill a teachable difpofition is abfoluteiy necefïary on our part, and according to the degree of the honefty and fimplicity, or purity of the heart, fo is this inftrution communi- V o L. IV. B b cated
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