Chap. 3$, An Expoftion upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 3o. 239 Obferve, It is not in the power of man, of any man, to binder or flay the virtue of the ¡tars from fallingdownupon the earth. What God will do by the creature, no man can undo. If God fec thofe heavenly bodies at liberty, and bids them fend down their influences, man cannot lock them up, nor imprifon their powers, nor bind them from working ? And hence we may inferr. Firfl, if none can bind the influ- ences, nor flay the comfortable virtue of the liars, when God is pleafed to let them out ? theta much lefs can any bind or hinder the influences of the Spirit. When God is pleafed to fend his Spirit to work upon the heart of man, who can lett him ? There is a threefold influence or work of the fpirit of God upon the foul of man. Firii, To enlighten, or to give the light of the knowledge of his own glory in the face of jellsChrift. Who can hinder God, when he purpofeth thus to inflruet and teach the ignorant, and make themwile untoSalvation, wifer than their teachers ; who canhinder it ? Secondly, To convert, to work faith and repentance, toge-- ther with love, humility, &c. Thefe graces are deflilled, and drop down from the Spirit of God upon the foul ; and whocan hinder the Spirit from working them in the molt hardened and unbelieving fouls in the moll vain, proud , and prefumptuous foul? the barren'll wildernefs, dryefl heath ( fuch are perfons unconverted) are made fruitful by the influences of the Spirit. Thirdly, To refrefh and comfort. There are unfpeakable in- fluences of joy deflilled from the fpirit upon believers; and whenGod will let them down from heaven, who can left rhená ? what can let them ? All the troubles and forrows,all the pains and tortures,that men can invent or inflict uponabeliever,cannot bind thefe influences of the Spirir, nor hinder joy in believing. The greatefl evils of this life, canneither fhut up nor (hut out, that comfortwhich the Spirit fpeaketh. The moll churlifh winds that can blow from the coldefl quarters of the world cannot chill, mach lefskill or blafl chofe fruits of theSpirit, Love, joy, peace, long jfering, gentlenefo, goodnefr, faith, meeknefr, .temperance, mentioned by the Apofile ( Cal. 5. 22, 23.) The foul grows green,
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