PART III. of gracious Aptions. 97 upon the Face of the 'Waters, and there was nothing difagreable to his Nature in that Action ; but yet he did not at all communicate himfelf in that Action, there was nothing of the proper Nature of the Holy Spirit in that Motion of the Waters. And fo he may ad upon the Minds of Men many Ways, and not communicate himfelf any more than when he arcs on inanimate Things. Thus not only the Manner of the Relationof the Spirit, who is the Operator, to the Subjed of his Operations, is different ; as the Spirit operates in the Saints, as dwelling in them, as an abiding Principle of Action, whereas he doth not fo operate upon Sinners ; but the Influ- ence and Operation itfèlf is different, and the Lfact wrought exceeding different. So that not only the Perfons are called fpiritual, as having the Spirit of God dwelling in them ; but thofe Qualifications, Affec- tions and Experiences that are wrought in them by the Spirit, are allo fpiritual, and therein differ vaftly in their Nature and Kind from all that a natural Man is or can be the Subjed of, while he remains in a natural State ; and alto from all that Men or Devils can be the Authors of : 'Tis a fpiritual Work in this high Senfe ; and there- fore above all other Works is peculiar to, the Spirit of God. There is no Work fo high and excellent ; for there is no WorkwhereinGod does fo much communicate himfelf, and wherein the meer Creature hath,in fo high aSenfe,aParticipation of God ; fo that it is expreffed;in Scripture by the Saints being made Partakers of the divine Nature, 2 Pet. i . q.. and having God dwelling in them, and they in God,ry i John 4. 12, 15, 16. and Chap. 3. 2r. and having Chri/1 in them, John 17. 2 r. Rom. 8. to. being the Temples of the living God, 2 Cor. 6. 16. living by Chri/i's Life, Gal. 2. 20. being made Partakers of God's Holinefs, Heb. 12. 1 o. having Chri/l's Love dwelling in them, John 17. 26. having his foy fulfilled in them, John 17. 13. feeing Light in God's Light, and being made to drink of the River of God's Pleafures, Pfal. 36. 8, 9. having Fellowfhip with God, or communi- cating andpartaking with him (as the Word fignifies) i John r. 3. Not that the Saints are made Partakers of the Effence of God, and fo are Gadded with God, and Chri/led with Chrift, according to the abominableand blafphemous Language and Notions of fomeHereticks ; but, to ufe the Scripture Phrafe, they are made Partakers of God's Fullnefs, Eph. 3. 17, 18, 19. ,7ohn r. 16. that is of God's fpi- ritual Beauty and Happinefs, according to the Meafure and Capacity of a Creature ; for fo it is evident the Word Fullnefs fignifies in Scrip- tureLanguage. Grace in the Hearts of theSaints, being therefore the molt glorious Work of God, wherein he communicates of the Good- rtefs of his Nature, it is doubtlefs his peculiar Work, and in an emi- nent Manner, above the Power of all Creatures. And the Influences of the Spirit of God in this, being thus peculiar to God, and being thefe wherein God does, in fo high a Manner, communicate himfelf, H and
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